Defensive reliability has been hard to come by for both Ukraine and Sweden, setting up a playoff clash where goals at both ends look far more likely than a clean sheet.
Ukraine have struggled to shut teams out despite strong results, while Sweden’s defensive issues have persisted even after a managerial change.
That’s where my Ukraine vs Sweden predictions and free betting picks land, with both sides well-positioned to find the net on Thursday, March 26.
Ukraine vs Sweden picks and predictions
My Ukraine vs Sweden best bet: Both teams to score — Yes (-122 at Sports Interaction)
Ukraine’s 2-0 win over Iceland in their last outing was a rare result. It ended a run of 12 consecutive matches for Ukraine without keeping a clean sheet.
The Swedes haven’t fared much better. They’ve gone seven without a clean sheet and allowed goals in all six of their World Cup qualifying matches.
Sweden switched managers after failing to score in three of their first four qualifiers. Both matches under Potter have seen both teams score.
Both teams have scored in 11 of Ukraine’s last 15 matches. I don’t see either side keeping a clean sheet, especially given the circumstances.
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Ukraine vs Sweden same-game parlay (SGP)
Both teams to score
Ukraine moneyline
Viktor Gyokeres 2+ shots
Not even the appointment of Potter has been enough to right the ship for Sweden, who truly are missing Alexander Isak and Dejan Kulusevski in attack. Sweden’s central defensive partnership of Victor Lindelof and Isak Hien is a major question mark.
Ukraine has a more fluid side. I trust them to get the job done against a Swedish side that has done nothing to show they’re capable of getting a victory.
With Isak out of the picture, the goal-scoring burden falls on Viktor Gyokeres. The Arsenal striker didn’t score in four World Cup qualifiers, but he did manage multiple shots in three of them. He will be firing whenever he can as I expect Sweden to be chasing the match in the second half.
Ukraine vs Sweden predicted lineups
Ukraine (4-3-3): Trubin; Konoplia, Zabarnyi, Svatok, Mykolenko; Kaliuzhnyi, Shaparenko, Malinovskyi; Tsygankov, Vanat, Yaremchuk
Sweden (4-4-2): Nordfeldt; Svensson, Hien, Lindelof, Gudmundsson; Swedberg, Ayari, Karlstrom, Elanga; Gyokeres, Bardghji
Ukraine vs Sweden odds
| Ukraine | Sweden | |
|---|---|---|
| +187 | Moneyline | +150 |
| +220 | Draw | +220 |
| Over 2.5 (+104) | Total | Under 2.5 (-152) |
Odds courtesy of Sports Interaction.
How to watch Ukraine vs Sweden
| Location | Estadi Ciutat de Valencia, Valencia, Spain |
| Date | Thursday, March 26, 2026 |
| Time | 3:45 p.m. ET |
| TV | FS2 |
| Weather | Cloudy but dry conditions. |
Ukraine vs Sweden key injuries
Ukraine: Oleksandr Zinchenko (Out), Maksym Taloverov (Out).
Sweden: Alexander Isak (Out), Dejan Kulusevski (Out), Mattias Svanberg (Out), Carl Starfelt (Out).
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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