The weekend saw the big kick-off for the 2022 Damallsvenskan season. Ben Gilby brings us all the action, looks ahead to this weekend’s commencement of the new Elitettan season along with all the views from both AIK and Sydney FC on Remy Siemsen’s signing (29/3/22).
Above: There was a carnival atmosphere and large crowd at the season’s opening game between Hammarby and Eskilstuna United. Photo: Hammarby.
DAMALLSVENSKAN:
The new season opened on Saturday with the game between Hammarby and Eskilstuna United which was played in front of a superb crowd of 7,877 at the men’s team’s Tele2 Arena home.
It took just eight minutes for the first goal of the 2022 season to go in, and it came courtesy of the visitors’ Ngozi Okobi-Okeghene who was played in by Elise Stenevik. Eskilstuna doubled their advantage right on half-time thanks to Mia Jalkerud. Despite several substitutions, the home side were unable to get back into the game and conceded a third with 12 minutes remaining as Noor Eckhoff struck.
In Sunday’s matches, Kristianstads wrapped up a comfortable 4-0 win over newly-promoted IFK Kalmar in front of 1,199 fans.
The home side went ahead with 26 minutes on the clock when Michaela van den Bulk slotted home a penalty. Delaney Pridham doubled Kristianstads’ advantage just before the break after being played in by Evelyn Viens. Tabby Tindell, who played for Kalmar in their promotion run from the Elitettan last season then struck twice for the hosts in a nine minute spell before the hour mark. Kalmar brought on four substitutes, but couldn’t make any inroads on Kristianstads’ 4-0 scoreline.
Linköping and Vittsjö played out a 1-1 draw in front of 615 fans. The hosts took the lead right on the half-time period thanks to Saori Takarada. They held their lead until fifteen minutes from time when Linda Sällström slotted home.
Djurgården suffered a disappointing 4-1 loss at home to Piteå in a game watched by 933 fans at the men’s home stadium of the Tele2 Arena.
Piteå took the game by the scruff of the neck from the start and built a 2-0 lead after just 12 minutes thanks to strikes from Hlin Eiríksdóttir and Maja Green. Anam Imo made it 3-0 just before the break. Any hopes that the Stockholm-based hosts had of getting back into the game vanished within three minutes of the re-start when Jesefin Johansson increased the visitors’ lead to four. Sara Vidlund got a goal back for Djurgården just after the hour mark when Linda Motlhalo released her, but Piteå were far too good.
AIK opened their campaign with a 2-0 win over KIF Örebro in front of 856 supporters at Skytteholms.
Honaka Hayashi put the Solna-based side ahead with 12 minutes on the clock with Jenny-Julia Daniels making the game safe with 12 minutes to go.
There were some extremely wintery conditions for Umeå IK’s return to the Damallsvenskan when they hosted last season’s runners-up BK Häcken. 323 fans braved the snow and cold. BK Häcken took the lead with just seven minutes played thanks to Johanna Rytting Kaneryd. The newly-promoted side kept fighting and levelled with 10 minutes to play when Henna-Riikka Honkanen, a regular scorer in the second tier, got off the mark for the campaign.
The final game of the opening round was played on Monday night which saw defending champions Rosengård host newly-promoted IF Brommapojkarna in front of a crowd of 747. It took 20 minutes for the home side to take the lead, thanks to a strike from Bea Sprung. Mimmi Larsson doubled their advantage on the hour mark as Rosengård completed a successful beginning to their title defence.
THIS WEEK’S FIXTURES: BK Häcken v Hammarby, IFK Kalmar v AIK, Eskilstuna United v Linköping, IF Brommapojkarna v Umeå IK, Piteå v Kristianstads, KIF Örebro v Djurgården. Vittsjö v Rosengård.
ELITETTAN
After the promotion of IFK Kalmar, Umeå IK and IF Brommapojkarna at the end of last season and the relegation of Borgeby FK, Morön BK and Bollstanäs SK, there are a total of six new teams in the Elitettan this season.
Coming down from the Damallsvenskan at the end of the 2021 campaign were Växjö. Promoted into the competition are Bergdalens IK, Gamla Upsala SK, Ifö Bromölla IF, Rävåsens IK Karlskoga and Team TG FF.
Next Fixtures: Älvsjö AIK FF v Ifö Bromölla IF, IFK Norrköping v Lidköpings FK, IK Uppsala v Bergdalens IK, Jitex BK v Växjö, Team TG FF v Alingsås FC United, Rävåsens IK Karlskoga v Mallbackens IF Sunne, Gamla Upsala SK v Sundsvalls DFF.
NEWS ROUND-UP:
| Sydney FC’s star Matildas’ striker Remy Siemsen has signed with AIK. The Sky Blues striker has spent five of the last six season at the club and has led the goalscoring charts in four of those seasons, winning two Premierships in the process. Her success with Sydney FC has led to Matildas’ selection and now she has secured a switch to the Damallsvenskan “I’m really excited, I had a taste test in Europe when I was with the national team and I was able to train in Denmark after we played Ireland last year and I loved it,” she said. “AIK want to grow the club in the next few years and they took a liking to the way I played, so I can’t wait to get started. “I’m excited to have a different football experience, to learn about living in a brand new place and in a new culture. “I think it will develop me as a footballer and as a person.” |
| The 22-year old hasn’t yet given up the thought of playing for Sydney again next season. “With the Swedish season aligning outside of the women’s season in Australia, it may give me an opportunity to come back to play with Sydney FC,” she continued. “It’s important to be playing matches and getting game time in the lead up to the World Cup and if the season finishes in time for me to come back, then I’d definitely be looking to play some more games in Sky Blue.” AIK’s women’s manager Anne Mäkinen was thrilled to capture Siemsen. “To complement the squad, we have been looking for a goalscorer for a long time and in Remy we have now found exactly that, a forward with the ability to deliver in the box. She is a versatile striker with a fantastic character which means she will fit in very well in the group and in the way we want to play football. Remy is also coming off a strong season with Sydney FC that has led to a well-deserved place in one of the best national teams in the world. I am very much looking forward to having Remy on the pitch in the black and yellow jersey.” Siemsen’s move to the Solna-based club comes with the full blessing of Sydney FC Head Coach Ante Juric. “Remy has been integral to helping our success over the past few years and I’m delighted she has the opportunity to further her football knowledge in Europe,” he said. “She deserves her chance and playing more regularly at a higher level during our off-season can only help her chances of representing the Matildas at next year’s World Cup.” Siemsen will fly out to Europe and join up with her new team mates following the Matildas two friendly matches with New Zealand in Townsville and Canberra. |
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