Latvia - Sweden predictions and free betting tips [18/05/2024]

In Group B of the Ice Hockey World Championship in the Czech Republic, Latvia and Sweden will clash tomorrow.

Team Latvia

At the 2024 Ice Hockey World Championship, Team Latvia has shown mixed results, highlighting both strengths and obvious weaknesses. The team's defence, despite early successes, has been lacking, particularly evident in their heavy 1:8 defeat against a strong German side. This match exposed all the defensive flaws of the Latvian team, raising concerns ahead of their upcoming games against top opponents. Coach Harijs Vitolins's squad has managed to gather seven points from four matches, standing fourth in Group B, within the playoff zone, keeping their hopes alive for further success.

Despite the challenges, Latvia commenced the tournament with three victories, defeating Poland and France in overtime with scores of 5:4 and 3:2, respectively, and more convincingly overcoming Kazakhstan with a 2:0 result. These games demonstrated the team's ability to handle pressure and achieve results, despite previous defensive shortcomings. As the bronze medalists of last year’s championship, Latvia continues their fight for a spot in the next stage, showing high ambitions and a drive to utilise every opportunity to improve their tournament standings.

Team Sweden

Team Sweden, a frontrunner of the 2024 Ice Hockey World Championship, is showcasing outstanding performances in the group stage. Under the guidance of coach Sam Hallam, the Swedes confidently lead Group B's standings, having secured the maximum points from their first four matches. Sweden displayed their prowess by consecutively defeating strong opponents: the USA with a score of 5:2, Poland 5:1, Germany 6:1, and Kazakhstan 3:1, underlining their offensive dominance and defensive efficiency. In this tournament, Sweden not only reaffirms their status as a contender for top honours but also highlights the excellent form of their key players. Andre Burakovsky and Marcus Johansson stand out, each having scored 6 points already.

Defenceman Erik Karlsson has also made a significant contribution, accumulating 5 points. The team has netted 19 goals so far, indicating high scoring effectiveness and coordinated gameplay. However, despite their successful group stage performances, historically, Sweden faces challenges in the playoff stages, where they have repeatedly faltered. Thus, despite the impressive preliminary match results, the real test for the team will begin in the subsequent rounds of the tournament. With NHL stars in their roster and the current form of their players, they look forward with optimism but must remain focused and harness their full potential to overcome upcoming obstacles.

Head-to-Head

On 25 May 2023, at the World Championship, Latvia triumphed over Sweden with a 3:1 score. On 24 May 2022, at the World Championship, Sweden defeated Latvia 1:0. On 10 February 2022, at the Olympic Games, Sweden won 3:2. On 20 May 2019, at the World Championship, Sweden emerged victorious with a 5:4 score. On 17 May 2018, at the World Championship, Sweden also beat Latvia 3:2. Hence, in the last five matches, Sweden has secured four victories, while Latvia has won one.

Match Prediction: Latvia vs. Sweden

The Swedes are incredibly powerful, and the Latvian team, after their defeat by Germany, revealed their true level. Sweden conceded more than one goal only against the USA in the first round of this Championship, so I anticipate the individual total under 1.5 for Latvia.