MATCH 27 PREVIEW : STRIKERS TO SHINE ON ALGARVE

Attacking promise
Both sides have already given notice of their abundant attacking promise in Portugal, and no one can call the result with confidence. In any event, it would be something of a surprise if we were to see a contest with a paucity of goals. Sweden come to the quarter-finals having been one of the most effective all-round teams in the group stages.

Marvellous goal
They began in coruscating form with a five-goal salvo against Bulgaria. A marvellous Zlatan Ibrahimovic strike gave them a draw against Italy, and a last-gasp leveller in their least impressive performance to date against neighbours Denmark helped them into the last eight as Group C winners.

Helping hand
The Netherlands required the assistance of group rivals to make it this far, the Czech Republic's win against Germany giving the 'Oranje' a vital helping hand at the same time that the Dutch were convincingly seeing off Latvia. After an opening draw against Germany, the Dutch let slip a two-goal lead to lose a five-goal classic against the Czechs.

Netherlands (probable): Van der Sar; Reiziger, De Boer, Stam, Van Bronckhorst; Seedorf, Davids, Cocu; Van der Meyde, Robben; Van Nistelrooij.

Sweden (possible): Isaksson; Nilsson, Jakobsson, Mellberg, Lucic; Jonson, Svensson, Linderoth, Ljungberg; Ibrahimovic, Larsson.

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