Netherlands v. Sweden, Women’s World Cup Semifinals: Game thread, live stream, lineups, how to watch

Who will the U.S. face in the final?

By Susie Rantz@SusieRants Jul 3, 2019, 11:00am PDT

If you buy something from an SB Nation link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

The Women’s World Cup semifinals concludes on Wednesday, July 3 as the Netherlands face off against Sweden. That match, which will determine who the U.S. play in the final, will broadcast on FS1 at 12 PM PT.

Sweden advanced after defeating Germany, a team many predicted would be in the final. Netherlands got the best of Italy in a match that was slower paced due to the extreme heat.

The Netherlands have one of the best attacking trios in the game, with Lieke Martens, Vivianne Miedema and Shanice van de Sanden rounding out the front line. Van de Sanden has a ton of pace but has struggled to connect her crosses and passes. Where the Netherlands have found a spark is on set pieces. Both goals against Italy were headers.

For Sweden, striker Stina Blackstenius scored her team’s equalizer against Germany and the winner in the Round of 16 against Canada — becoming the first Sweden player since Lena Videkull in 1991 to score in consecutive World Cup knockout appearances. Blackstenius has been impressive leading Sweden’s attack — she’s got a lot of pace and is tenacious in working to win the ball back. Expect Sweden to look for her on long balls.

How to Watch