The Sweden national team plan to use their speed in the Final of the FIFA Women's World Cup USA 2003 as their not-so-secret weapon when they take on Germany Sunday with the world championship on the line.

"It's going to be very important against the Germans," said Sweden head coach Marika Domanski-Lyfors. "We are going to have to use our speed and our skills to keep them from pushing too far up on us while we also get in behind them to attack."

Since losing their opening match against the United States, Sweden have shown just how much speed counts as they reeled off four consecutive wins to reach the USA 2003 Final. The key to those wins was Sweden's speed. Forwards Hanna Ljungberg and Victoria Svensson, midfielders Anna Sjöström and Malin Moström, and defenders Jane Törnqvist and Karolina Westberg all possess an abundance to speed that allows them to not only change their pace instantly but to take more chances than slower players.

"I think our speed is what allows us to be so aggressive on the field," Moström said. "We will need to play very aggressively against Germany. We have to play our best football against them and that means we must put a lot of pressure on them."

Sweden captain Malin Andersson said the speed of her team mates allows Sweden to transition so quickly from defence to attack and back again. The Swedes gave Canada a lesson in their transitional ability in the semi-final and will look to do the same against Germany.

"The important thing is we must play to our feet," Andersson. "We have to keep the ball on the ground and play to feet. I don't think it matters how fast someone is, if the ball isn't served properly, all the speed in the world won't matter."

Andersson also said Sweden's ability to transition from defence to attack would depend on how aggressively the Blue and Yellow pressure the ball.

"I think we must not let them play the first-time pass," Andersson said. "We have to prevent that. The Germans are really good at setting two-on-ones and they do that with their quick first-time passes. We have to step right up on them and if they take a pass, not let them make that first-time pass back."

At the same time, Andersson said the Swedes must prevent the Germans from disrupting their passing game, and the way to do that was speed.

"We've got to move the ball really fast," she said. "Every play has to be made at speed so we get them moving around. That will make more space for us, but it comes down to our passing. If it's not to our feet, it won't work."

In Svensson and Ljungberg Sweden have arguably the two fastest forwards at USA 2003. Although they will be dwarfed by Germany's back four, the Swedish tandem already know how that feels. The Canadians claimed a sizable physical advantage over Svensson and Ljungberg, but the Swedish duo simply terrorised the Canucks. Svensson set up both of Sweden's goals while Ljungberg often drew three players to her as she sped through Canada's back line.

Domanski-Lyfors, however, was quick to point out that speed alone would not bring the world title to Sweden.

"We need to balance what we do," the Sweden coach said. "We have to put pressure on them but we also need to work in depth. We have to get our players in deep on them in attack but we can't let them go too far because we must still be able to defend. So, it's a balance."

A balance Moström said would only came at one pace.

"I think our speed will be key," she said. "Everything we do, we must do at speed."