The Swedish Scene

Ben Gilby rounds up all the latest action in the Damallsvenskan and Elitettan (24/5/22).

Above: Hammarby celebrate Elsa Karlsson’s dramatic late winner in the Stockholm derby with Djurgården. Photo: Hammarby.

DAMALLSVENSKAN

Round Ten opened on Friday night at Tunavallen where Eskilstuna United hosted unbeaten league leaders Rosengård in front of an excellent crowd of 1,970.

It took an hour for the first goal to arrive, and it fell the way of the visitors as Olivia Schough played in Stefanie Sanders to score. Fifteen minutes later, Jelena Cankovic provided the assist for Emma Berglund who doubled Rosengård’s advantage. Matters were settled at the death with an own goal. It was yet another clean sheet for Rosengård’s Australian international goalkeeper Teagan Micah.

IFK Kalmar gained a vital win against fellow newly-promoted side Umeå IK – with both sides positioned just above the drop zone. There was an explosive start at the Guldfågel Arena with three early goals. Alyssa Walker fed Juliette Kemppi to put the hosts ahead with just four minutes on the clock. Henna Riikka Honkanen levelled for Umeå, but just a minute later, Kemppi grabbed her and Kalmar’s second after being played in by Charlotte Novotny. Lisa Björk levelled just after the half-hour mark. The game was ultimately decided from an own goal which sealed Kalmar’s 3-2 win.

Linköping are third, two points behind leaders Rosengård after a comprehensive 5-1 win at IF Brommapojkarna. Alice Ahlberg put the hosts ahead after just two minutes from the penalty spot to the delight of the 129 supporters. However, it was one-way traffic on the scoreboard after that. Therese Simonsen levelled just eight minutes later, and just before the break grabbed her second to put the visitors ahead at the interval after Yuka Momiki played her in. Seven minutes into the second half, Olga Ahtinen was the provider for Amalie Vangsgaard to put Linköping 3-1 ahead. Just after the hour mark, she also grabbed her brace. The scoring was completed with just over 20 minutes to go when Heidi Ellingsen fed Momiki to seal the 5-1 win.

BK Häcken slipped two points behind Rosengård at the top after conceding a late goal at Piteå which saw the game end all square. The visitors went ahead just before the break as Stine Larsen’s assist allowed Mille Jensen to score. Three minutes before the end, up popped Hlin Eiríksdóttir to earn Piteå a notable point to the delight of the excellent crowd of 1,392.

AIK’s tough season took another turn for the worse after a 5-1 drubbing at Kristianstads ensured they are three points adrift at the bottom of the Damallsvenskan. The home side’s pair Evelyn Viens and Tabby Tindell took advantage of AIK’s troubles to contribute four of their team’s goals to the joy of the 567 spectators. Gabrielle Carle found Viens to put Kristianstads ahead with only six minutes played. Tindell doubled the home side’s lead just before the half-hour mark. AIK got a goal back with 22 minutes to play as Chinyelu Asher netted. However, this only spurred the hosts to go up a gear. Tindell grabbed her second eight minutes after Asher’s goal to re-establish Kristianstads’ two-goal lead. The star has now scored eight goals in 10 league matches this season. Less than two minutes later, Emmi Alanen made it 4-1. Alice Nilsson fed Viens to complete the rout in stoppage time at the end of 90 minutes. For the Solna-based side, and their Australian international striker Remy Siemsen, it is looking like a long season of struggle ahead.

Vittsjö are fifth after an excellent 1-0 win at KIF Örebro. A tense battle that saw the visitors rack up five yellow cards was only decided in the final three minutes when their Matildas star Katrina Gorry hit a superb shot that curled into the net. The goal can be seen here during the match highlights: https://www.facebook.com/vittsjotjejer/videos/550140300061027

The final game of the round took place yesterday with the Stockholm derby between Djurgården and Hammarby. In front of a crowd of 1,854, it was a tense game with a dramatic ending. Emilia Larsson found Vilde Hasund to put Hammarby ahead nine minutes into the second half. Yet, with just over a quarter of an hour remaining, Hayley Dowd provided the assist for Tilde Lindwall to level matters for the home side. Then came the dramatic ending as in stoppage time at the end of 90 minutes, Elsa Karlsson fired the winner for Hammarby.

ROUND ELEVEN FIXTURES: KIF Örebro v Eskilstuna United, BK Häcken v Djurgården, AIK v Linköping, IFK Kalmar v Hammarby, Vittsjö v IF Brommapojkarna, Rosengård v Piteå, Umeå IK v Kristianstads.

ELITETTAN

SELECTED MATCH DETAILS:

Lidköpings FK are two points clear at the top after a 4-0 win at newly-promoted Team TG FF. Two goals in 10 minutes in the opening quarter of an hour from Ida Pettersson put Lidköpings in the driving seat. Just after the hour mark, Dorothea Greulich put the visitors three-up with Emma Gabrielsson sealing the win with 11 minutes remaining in front of 120 fans.

IK Uppsala continued their promotion push with a dominant 8-1 win over Sundsvalls. There was drama from the off for the 200 gathered spectators as Johanna Renmark put the hosts ahead with five minutes played. Yet within four minutes, the visitors were level thanks to Michelle Flores. Three goals in an 18-minute spell ultimately settled the game in Uppsala’s favour. Renmark re-established their lead before two strikes from Nicole Robertson. Wilma Thörnkvist made it 5-1 at the break. Robertson completed her hat-trick in the second half in addition to another strike from Thörnkvist and Taryn Ries’ goal to make it 8-1.

Växjö also produced a goal glut in a 7-1 destruction of Gamla Upsala SK. Hanna Stokki put the hosts in front, to the delight of the 102 fans on just four minutes. Yet there was no sign of the scoreboard domination that followed as Thea Barkfeldt levelled eight minutes later. Evelyn Ijeh’s strike put the home side ahead at the break. It was three goals in 15 minutes in the second half that firmly decided this encounter. Dessislava Dupuy made it 3-1, before Ijeh’s second and an own goal confirmed the home side’s win. Two goals in the final ten minutes from Mimmi Strömgren were the icing on the cake.

Älvsjö AIK FF remain bottom after a 2-0 loss at IFK Norrköping. Strikes from Minnie Asperot and Lovisa Gustavsson’s penalty sealed the win for the hosts.

Round Eight: Alingsås FC United 3-0 Mallbackens IF Sunne, IFK Norrköping 2-0 Älvsjö AIK FF, IK Uppsala 8-1 Sundsvalls, Jitex BK 2-1 Ifö Bromölla IF, Växjö 7-1 Gamla Upsala SK, Team TG FF 4-0 Lidköpings FK, Rävåsens IK Karlskoga 1-5 Bergdalens IK.

Round Nine (Fixtures): Lidköpings FK v Alingsås FC United, Mallbackens IF Sunne v Team TG FF, Sundsvalls v Jitex BK, Bergdalens IK v IFK Norrköping, Ifö Bromölla IF v IK Uppsala, Älvsjö AIK FF v Växjö, Gamla Upsala SK v Rävåsens IK Karlskoga.