Sundhage selects uncapped Ilestedt and Hjohlman

UEFA Women's EURO 2013 hosts Sweden have included uncapped players Amanda Ilestedt and Jenny Hjohlman in their squad for next month's finals.

FC Malmö defender Ilestedt, 20, captained Sweden to victory at the 2012 UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship in Turkey, while 23-year-old Hjohlman has scored four goals in ten league games this season for Umeå IK. There is also a place in the 23-strong party for KIF Örebro full-back Elin Magnusson, who made her international debut in a friendly against Brazil last week at the age of 31.

There was also a surprise call-up for veteran FC Malmö midfielder Therese Sjögran. The 36-year-old is Sweden's most-capped player but has not made any of her 182 appearances under coach Pia Sundhage and since recovering from injury has only started one Damallsvenskan match this term. "I'd already bought EURO tickets," said Sjögran. "There's been a rush for Sweden's matches and I didn't want to find myself without tickets."

Goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl, fit after injury, is another not to have played under Sundhage, who took charge of her country on a four-year deal last December. "It feels like coming home," said Lindahl, nine shy of a century of international outings. "This is my second family."

During the squad announcement Sundhage mentioned three central midfielders who she thinks will be crucial in Sweden's quest to reclaim the European title they won for the only time in 1984. "[Caroline] Seger, [Marie] Hammarström and [Lisa] Dahlkvist will all be important because they will all get a lot of playing time as things look now," she said.

Sweden face England a week on Thursday in their final warm-up match before beginning their Group A campaign against Denmark in Gothenburg on 10 July. Italy and Finland complete the section.

Sweden squad
Goalkeepers: Kristin Hammarström (Göteborg FC), Sofia Lundgren (Linköpings FC), Hedvig Lindahl (Kristianstads DFF).

Defenders: Lina Nilsson (FC Malmö), Charlotte Rohlin (Linköpings FC), Jessica Samuelsson (Linköpings FC), Nilla Fischer (Linköpings FC), Amanda Ilestedt (FC Malmö), Stina Segerström (Göteborg FC), Sara Thunebro (Tyresö FF), Elin Magnusson (KIF Örebro).

Midfielders: Caroline Seger (Tyresö FF), Lisa Dahlkvist (Tyresö FF), Olivia Schough (Göteborg FC), Marie Hammarström (Göteborg FC), Emmelie Konradsson (Umeå IK), Antonia Göransson (1. FFC Turbine Potsdam), Josefine Öqvist (Kristianstads DFF), Therese Sjögran (FC Malmö).

Forwards: Lotta Schelin (Olympique Lyonnais), Sofia Jakobsson (Chelsea LFC), Jenny Hjohlman (Umeå IK), Kosovare Asllani (Paris Saint-Germain FC).