motståndarlagets

Motståndarlagets is a Swedish possessive form used to indicate something belonging to the opposing team in a competition, most commonly in sports reporting and commentary. The base noun motståndarlaget refers to the team that is being opposed.

The form is built by taking the definite noun motståndarlaget and adding the possessive suffix -s to produce motståndarlagets. It is used before a noun to specify possession, for example motståndarlagets spelare, motståndarlagets försvar, or motståndarlagets taktik. In Swedish, the possessive is often formed with -s rather than with an of-phrase, and there is no apostrophe.

Usage of motståndarlagets helps anchor discussion to the specific opponent. It appears in match reports, tactical analyses, and live commentary when describing the actions or characteristics of the opposing team: motståndarlagets försvar pressade, motståndarlagets anfall var effektivt, and so on. The phrase tends to carry a neutral or descriptive tone, its perspective shaped by the surrounding context rather than the word itself.

Variants and related terms include motståndarna (the opponents) and motståndarnas (the opponents’, plural possessive). Motståndarlaget refers to the opposing team, while motståndarlagets denotes something belonging to that team. The term is common across Swedish sports journalism, including football, ice hockey, and other team sports. See also lag (team) and motstånd (opposition).