Is Sweden's reign in the European Nations Cup but a memory? After ups and downs from Team Sweden the last two days, it looks like Finland will continue to be a too tough nut to crack.




Hopes lie on LiiLD.C and KnOfF for Team Sweden. Photo by: GosuGamers.net
Sweden was given a tough opponent in the very first round: Finland. 3-1 to Finland after KnOfF and LiiLD.C failed to win both their individual and the team match together. Only player from Sweden to win was EfFeCt who was placed against a Call of Duty playing Konna who made a quick comeback prior to the finals.


No DowaQ, no FuRy and no SaSe in Team Sweden.
Photo by: GosuGamers.netThis season, Sweden has a crippled lineup. Their two Undead players, FuRy and DowaQ both sit out the final. DowaQ was unable to go because of ESWC, while FuRy did not have the finances for it at the time. While the other players were financed by their respective teams, FuRy would have to pay from his own pocket. Instead, Sweden sent a four-man-lineup in the shape of LiiLD.C, KnOfF, EfFeCt and ThorZaIn. The latter two are freshmen in the national team, and ThorZaIn is the only one of the two who has played a match for Team Sweden (once).

And SaSe, a self-explanatory choice in the Swedish lineup, is not even on the roster after internal struggles between SaSe and the other players.

In the losers bracket after a WarCraft lesson given by Finland in the first round, Sweden could barely grab a 3-2 victory off of Denmark. The two veterans LiiLD.C and KnOfF, who are supposed to lead Sweden to victory this year, did not disappoint as they defeated Ciara, MyWa and the 2on2 constellation Rosenkill/ThomasG. EfFeCt and ThorZaIn both lost their matches, making the match a bit too exciting for the Swedish fans.

Fifth time a charm for Sweden?


Today, Saturday, Sweden is placed against Finland - again. The last four encounters are in favor of Finland. Should Sweden break the bad tradition against Finland, Sweden are in the chance of reaching a fourth gold medal.

Sweden can look back over three consecutive gold medals in the European Nations Cup, and from last season: a silver medal. Last season's offline final was a fiasco for Sweden. Calling a silver medal a fiasco might seem rough, but it was how they missed the gold that was a screwup. The team was filled with internal fights, especially between former team manager triMble and Sweden's top star SaSe. In the winners final, Sweden lost to Finland, and the shocker was a fact. "They [Finland] might very well go all the way and steal the trophy from their Swedish brothers", GosuGamers wrote after last season's first round, which proved right.

Sweden made their way to the grand final defeating Germany in the consolation final, but got pummeled by the Finlanders again. Finland surely earned the victory, wtih elfittaja and BriNGeR performing their best play. But the Swedes could have entered the final in a better state. The day before the final, the majority of the Swedish players went out drinking which caused a hungover for some, not even making it to the venue for another. A 3-0 win was a fact, and Sweden had for the first time lost a European Nations Cup final.