Sweden Sputters in 2027 Basketball World Cup Qualifiers Opening Loss to Czech Republic

Sweden's men's national basketball team suffered a heavy 97-80 defeat against the Czech Republic in the opening game of the 2027 Basketball World Cup qualifiers. This loss highlighted the struggles of a depleted Swedish squad missing many key players from their successful EuroBasket campaign. The Swedish team was notably missing Pelle Larsson, Viktor Gaddefors, Simon Birgander, Melwin Pantzar, and Barra Njie, resulting in only Ludvig Håkanson remaining from the EuroBasket starting five.

The match started competitively, with Sweden trailing by just a single point at halftime (46-47). Ludvig Håkanson played a pivotal leadership role, spending nearly 34 minutes on the court and hitting three three-pointers in the first half. Tobias Borg led Sweden offensively with 18 points, while Håkanson and Olle Lundqvist contributed 15 points each. However, Sweden's third quarter performance faltered, allowing the Czechs to extend their lead to 74-63.

Sweden struggled significantly with free throw accuracy, converting only 60% of attempts, while the Czech Republic excelled from beyond the arc, hitting 51.7% of their three-point shots. Basketball expert Nick Rajacic noted that Sweden's game plan unraveled as Czech Republic intensified their defense in the second half, describing the defense as "open house" in Prague.

Despite Sweden's strong first half defense and effort, they were unable to contain the Czech team's momentum, resulting in a 17-point final margin. The defeat places pressure on Sweden to regroup quickly ahead of their next match against Slovenia at home in Scandinavium, Gothenburg. Sweden's group also includes Estonia, with the top three teams advancing to the next phase in the 2027 World Cup qualification process.

This challenging start underscores the impact of the substantial roster changes Sweden has endured since the EuroBasket and highlights the hurdles the team faces in their quest to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar.