Italy and Sweden square off in one of the most hotly anticipated matches of the Euro 2016 on Friday.

The Italians pulled off an impressive feat in their Euro debut on Monday, defeating Belgium 2-0 in a defensive masterclass. The shut down of Belgium's talented offense was so impressive that Belgium coach Marc Wilmots went so far as to get defensive about Italy's tactics.

"Italy specifically played on the counter-attack. They did not play real football and when faced with everyone sitting back, it becomes difficult," Wilmots said according to ESPN.

Sweden meanwhile managed a 1-1 draw against Ireland, though the team lacked the attacking edge many expected. Zlatan Ibrahimovic was particularly quiet throughout the opening match. He will be expected to play a bigger role in breaking through what should be a compact Italian side that has found a stifling defensive style that is lethal when paired with its searing counter attack.

Player to Watch

Ibrahimovic is undeniably the best player on the pitch in this matchup and will command all the attention. Leonardo Bonucci will be trusted with shutting him down, which should make for an enjoyable tete-a-tete.

History says...

Italy has the edge in this matchup, winning nine of 21, losing six and drawing six. Italy has not lost to Sweden since 1998, meaning that Zlatan Ibrahimovic has not defeated the Italians during this tenure. He did score one goal back in 2004 in a 1-1 draw between these two sides.

Prediction

Italy continues its stalwart defensive style, winning 1-0.

Start Time and Streaming Info

The game starts at 9 a.m. EDT and can be viewed on ESPN or ESPN Deportes. Those looking to watch the game on a mobile device can check it out with the Watch ESPN app.

Related