Four World Cup teams have become two and the six teams in each group have taken the points harvest from each other's meetings. Sweden's Group D has been crossed with Group C and matches are now pending against Spain (today), Romania (Tuesday) and Montenegro (Wednesday). The top two in the group are allowed to play the World Cup semi-finals in Park Dome, Kumamoto.
Rank in group round 2: 1) Russia, 4 points (+18), 2) Spain, 4 points (+16), 3) Sweden, 2 points (0), 4) Montenegro, 2 points (0), 5) Romania, 0 points (-16), 6) Japan, 0 points (-18).
Today's matches:Sweden – Spain, at 12.30 (Swedish time), Park Dome
Sweden's hope of a semi-final will live after today's first match in the middle round, it will need victory. Spain was in the world top for a few years in the early and mid-2010s with World Cup bronze, Olympic bronze and European silver. In recent years, the nice results have brightened with their absence, but the team impressed in the first group game with five straight wins and heavy scales against good European resistance. Sweden met Spain last in the European Championships at home ground 2016 and then Blågult won with 25-19. Something that speaks for the Swedes compared to the team from Group C is that Sweden has been able to go around the entire squad in four of five matches.
Sweden's face against Spain: 14 wins, 3 draws, 7 losses.
Match star duel: Sweden's Isabelle Gulldén (mid nine) against Spain's Nerea Pen (mid nine).
Main Championship Merit, Spain: 1 World Cup bronze, 1 Olympic bronze, 2 European silver. World Cup 2017: Elva.
Sweden: 1 European silver, 1 European bronze. Placement World Cup 2017: Four.
Sweden's remaining game schedule in the middle round:10/12: Romania (12.30)
11/12: Montenegro (12.30)
The semi-finals will be decided on December 13. Final and bronze match will be played on December 15.
Rank in group 1: 1) Netherlands, 4 points (+15), 2) Germany, 3 points (+1), 3) Norway, 2 points (+1), 4) South Korea, 2 points (0), 5 ) Denmark, 1 point (-1), 6) Serbia, 0 point (-16).
Today's matches in Group 1: Serbia-South Korea (07 am), Netherlands-Germany (10 am), Norway-Denmark (12:30 pm).