Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Sweden: First Place Is Within Reach in Zenica

The Group B4 table gives this meeting a clear shape before a ball is kicked: Sweden lead with six points, while Bosnia and Herzegovina are second on four. The hosts therefore arrive with an opportunity to move level with the leaders, while Sweden can strengthen their position at the top with another positive result. UEFA’s schedule places the fixture at Bilino Polje in Zenica on Friday, October 2, with kick-off at 20:45 local time.
Bosnia opened their campaign with a 0-0 draw against Poland before producing a much more productive performance in Bucharest, where they defeated Romania 4-2. Sweden, meanwhile, began with a 2-1 victory over Romania and followed it with a 3-1 win against Poland, giving Graham Potter’s side five goals from two group matches.
That difference in attacking output gives the match an interesting tactical starting point, but Bosnia have already shown that their level can rise considerably from one game to the next. Haris Tabaković has scored once in the group, while Armin Gigović also has a goal, and the attacking support around the striker has supplied a greater threat than the opening 0-0 might suggest.
Sweden’s main reference point is Viktor Gyökeres, who has scored in both Nations League matches so far. His ability to occupy central defenders while also attacking space behind them gives Bosnia a different problem from the more possession-oriented challenges they faced against Poland.
There is also an unusual emotional dimension surrounding the home side, because Edin Džeko is due to make his final appearance for Bosnia and Herzegovina after almost two decades with the national team. The federation confirms that he is the country’s record holder for both appearances and goals, with 151 caps and 73 goals before the farewell match.
Variation rule: this preview begins with the Group B4 situation and uses the contrast between Sweden’s attacking production and Bosnia’s changing performance level as the main narrative, rather than opening with the venue, injuries or a star player.

Sergej Barbarez has been clear about the significance of the occasion without losing sight of the competitive side of the fixture. At his official press conference, he said Bosnia want to perform at the level the match requires and send Džeko into international retirement with a memorable evening.
The football problem for Bosnia is how to reproduce the attacking fluidity seen in the 4-2 victory over Romania while protecting the spaces that Sweden’s forwards will target. The confirmed squad contains several players capable of playing between the lines, including Ermin Mahmić, Kerim Alajbegović and Esmir Bajraktarević.
Sweden have had to manage a very different preparation. A wave of illness removed five players from the trip to Sarajevo, while injuries have also forced Alexander Isak, Hjalmar Ekdal and Emil Holm out of the international window. The Swedish federation called Felix Beijmo, Samuel Dahl, Hugo Bolin and Ken Sema into the group as replacements for the illness absences.
Potter’s response has been to work with a reduced group while maintaining the structure that produced victories over Romania and Poland. Lucas Bergvall and Yasin Ayari have already been important midfield options, while Victor Nilsson Lindelöf and Carl Starfelt provide experience in the defensive line.
The visitors also have depth in attack despite Isak’s absence. Gyökeres has carried the scoring responsibility in the first two Nations League fixtures, while Benjamin Nygren and the wide players give Sweden alternative routes toward the penalty area.
For Bosnia, the challenge is therefore not simply to stop Gyökeres; it is to prevent Sweden from repeatedly finding the forward early enough for him to turn and run at the defensive line.

The tactical picture should be shaped by the midfield space immediately in front of the two defensive fours. Both sides have recently used a 4-2-3-1 structure, meaning the battle between the double pivots and the attacking midfielders could determine which team gets cleaner possession in dangerous areas. Current team-news sources list Bosnia’s likely structure around Martin Zlomislić, Ivan Bašić, Armin Gigović, Kerim Alajbegović and Haris Tabaković, while Sweden’s recent structure has centred on Viktor Johansson, Lucas Bergvall, Yasin Ayari and Gyökeres.
Bosnia’s full-backs will also have an important role because Sweden can create pressure by moving the ball quickly toward the wide areas before feeding Gyökeres centrally. Sead Kolašinac offers experience on the left side, while Tarik Muharemović and Nikola Katić have been regular defensive selections during the opening two matches.
At the other end, Sweden’s reduced squad could make game management especially important. Five players were ruled out because of illness immediately before the trip, and the Swedish federation had already lost several players to injury during the window.
The Swedish camp has nevertheless continued to stress development as well as results. Potter’s original Nations League squad was deliberately large because Sweden have four matches across a demanding international period, with the coach saying the objective was to develop the team while winning matches.
The press coverage around Bosnia has understandably concentrated on Džeko’s farewell, but the federation’s own pre-match messaging also stresses the competitive importance of the encounter. Barbarez has spoken about wanting the team to meet the demands of the occasion rather than treating the night purely as a celebration.
That balance matters because Sweden’s two-point advantage means Bosnia cannot afford to let the emotional side of the evening replace the tactical discipline needed against a side that has already scored five times in this group.

One of the most intriguing elements is how the match develops if Bosnia control the opening stages. Sweden have conceded in both of their Nations League games, while Bosnia have scored four times in their most recent outing, so the hosts have evidence that they can punish defensive openings when their attacking movements become more decisive.
For Sweden, the answer is likely to involve getting Gyökeres involved early and allowing the midfield to support him rather than asking the striker to operate alone. His two goals already account for a substantial part of Sweden’s five-goal group total.
For Bosnia, the presence of Džeko adds a separate layer to the occasion. His federation farewell announcement has made October 2 a major moment in Bosnian football, but the group standings ensure that the match also has immediate sporting consequences.
The Swedish press and federation coverage, meanwhile, has focused heavily on the unusual number of absences and Potter’s need to adapt the squad. The illness outbreak removed Yasin Ayari, Benjamin Nygren, Gustaf Lagerbielke, Elliot Stroud and Patrik Wålemark from the trip, according to the Swedish federation.
Those absences make the final team selection particularly relevant, but no result is assumed here and no outcome is spoiled before kick-off. The match remains a contest between the group leader trying to preserve its advantage and the second-placed side attempting to close the gap on home soil.
With the standings, Džeko’s farewell and Sweden’s depleted squad all converging on the same night, Bilino Polje provides a setting in which tactical execution and squad availability could matter just as much as individual quality.

🩺 Medical Bulletin: Confirmed Absences

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina – Officially Reported Absences
Long-Term / IR	Kenan Busuladžić	Anterior cruciate ligament injury; expected to be sidelined for around nine months
Out / Ruled Out	Amar Dedić	Recurrent hamstring injury; unavailable for the four Nations League matches in this international window

Barbarez confirmed that Dedić would miss the four matches because of a renewed hamstring injury, while Busuladžić was ruled out with an anterior cruciate ligament injury. The Bosnia federation’s September squad announcement also noted that injuries had affected selection.

Sweden

Sweden – Officially Reported Absences
Out / Ruled Out	Alexander Isak	Minor injury; left the national-team camp and unavailable for the remaining Nations League matches
Out / Ruled Out	Hjalmar Ekdal	Minor injury; left the national-team camp
Out / Ruled Out	Emil Holm	Hamstring injury; left the national-team camp for rehabilitation
Out / Ruled Out	Yasin Ayari	Illness; did not travel to Sarajevo
Out / Ruled Out	Benjamin Nygren	Illness; did not travel to Sarajevo
Out / Ruled Out	Gustaf Lagerbielke	Illness; did not travel to Sarajevo
Out / Ruled Out	Elliot Stroud	Illness; did not travel to Sarajevo
Out / Ruled Out	Patrik Wålemark	Illness; did not travel to Sarajevo

The Swedish Football Association confirmed the five illness-related absences on October 1 and separately confirmed that Isak, Ekdal and Holm had already left the camp because of injuries. Four replacements were called up for the illness absences.

⭐ Named Matchday Sides & Key Figures

The official federation pages available before kick-off confirm the match squads but do not expose the final starting-XI names in their accessible text. The tables below therefore use the latest documented team selections and key personnel rather than presenting predicted players as officially confirmed.

Bosnia and Herzegovina – Latest Documented XI Structure

Bosnia and Herzegovina – Latest Documented Starting Group
Goalkeeper	Martin Zlomislić	Goalkeeper
Defender	Amar Memić	Right side
Defender	Nikola Katić	Centre-back
Defender	Tarik Muharemović	Centre-back
Defender	Sead Kolašinac	Left side and captain
Midfielder	Ivan Bašić	Central midfield
Midfielder	Armin Gigović	Central midfield
Attacking midfielder	Esmir Bajraktarević	Attacking role
Attacking midfielder	Ermin Mahmić	Central attacking role
Attacking midfielder	Kerim Alajbegović	Attacking role
Forward	Haris Tabaković	Centre-forward

Sweden – Latest Documented XI Structure

Sweden – Latest Documented Starting Group
Goalkeeper	Viktor Johansson	Goalkeeper
Defender	Daniel Svensson	Right-back
Defender	Carl Starfelt	Centre-back
Defender	Victor Nilsson Lindelöf	Centre-back and captain
Defender	Gabriel Gudmundsson	Left-back
Midfielder	Lucas Bergvall	Central midfield
Midfielder	Yasin Ayari	Central midfield
Midfielder	Besfort Zeneli	Left-sided midfield role
Midfielder	Patrik Wålemark	Wide midfield role
Forward	Benjamin Nygren	Forward
Forward	Viktor Gyökeres	Centre-forward

• Bosnia and Herzegovina: Sergej Barbarez is the head coach, while Edin Džeko is preparing for his final international appearance.
• Sweden: Graham Potter leads the side, with Viktor Gyökeres the leading scorer in the opening two Nations League matches.
• Group position: Sweden have six points from two matches; Bosnia and Herzegovina have four.
• Key tactical area: Both teams have recently operated from a 4-2-3-1 base, making the midfield and the space behind the opposing double pivot particularly important.

⚽Highlights
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