The national women’s football team suffered a 1-5 loss to world No. 3 Sweden in a closed-door friendly match late Sunday at the New Zealand Campus of Innovation and Sports in Wellington.
Stina Blackstenius, who campaigns for Arsenal in the Women’s Super League, fired a hat-trick while Fridolina Rolfo of FC Barcelona and Chelsea’s Johanna Rytting Kaneryd joined the scoring parade for the Swedes, who are behind the United States and Germany in the world ranking of the International Football Federation.
Sweden coach Peter Gerhardsson said they are using the match to prepare for the FIFA Women’s World Cup which kicks off in Australia and New Zealand on Thursday.
Sweden is bunched in Group G together with Argentina, Italy and South Africa.
“Of course, it’s always important and nice to win football matches, and it’s also good that we had the opportunity to give playing time to large parts of the squad,” Gerhardsson said.
“Now, we take this effort with us and continue to prepare in the best way for the World Cup opener against South Africa on Sunday.”
The friendly match is also the final tune-up game for the Filipinas, who will open their World Cup campaign against Switzerland on Friday at the Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin, New Zealand.
