Ben Gilby rounds up all the action from both the Damallsvenskan and Elitettan as Sweden’s top two divisions played their final matches before the mid-season break and we welcome back DandalBs with his news round-up from around the leagues. (21/6/22).
Above: Kyra Cooney-Cross gets a shot in on her debut for Hammarby against BK Häcken on Friday night. Photo: Hammarby IF.
NEWS ROUND-UP
by DandalBs
Vittsjö announced today that Katrina Gorry has extended her contract for another season. Speaking about her decision, the Australian international said: “I’m so excited to be signing for another year. I’ve really enjoyed the first half of the season and I can’t wait to see what we can achieve in the 2nd half. The club, the team, and Harper’s nannies have become our new family so it was an easy decision to stay. There is something special about Vittsjö and we are lucky to be a part of it.”
Sweden’s national team coach Peter Gerhardsson, whose contract expires after the 2023 World Cup, has been contacted by several clubs and national teams. Even though he is said to miss club coaching, no offers have been interesting enough to tempt him so far.
Kosovare Asllani, who recently left Real Madrid, is strongly rumoured to join AC Milan. When the same rumour surfaced last year, her agent denied it. This time he hasn’t commented.
Ugandan international Violah Nambi training with Damallsvenskan side IFK Kalmar. Nambi, who played for Växjö last year, comes from a successful half-season in Austria’s second division where she scored eight goals.
DAMALLSVENSKAN
by Ben Gilby
Round 15 kicked off on Friday night with inform Hammarby hosting a BK Häcken side desperate to get back to winning ways after only taking four points from the last 15 available to them in front of a crowd of 1,464.
The home side could have taken the lead three minutes before the break, but Emma Jansson’s penalty was saved. Marika Bergman Lundin had an eventful opening to the second half for the visitors having come on at the break. Within seven minutes, she had been booked and then put her side ahead. Less than 60 seconds later, Andrine Hegerberg doubled BK Häcken’s lead.
Kyra Cooney-Cross made her long-awaited debut for the Stockholm-based side with 23 minutes remaining, joining her Matildas teammate Courtney Nevin, who has been in superb form in the Hammarby line-up. Matilda Vinberg got a goal back for the hosts six minutes into injury time at the end of the match.
AIK‘s tough campaign got even more challenging when they were beaten 6-0 at home by leaders Rosengård in front of a crowd of 241. With Matildas stars Remy Siemsen and Teagan Micah starting for either side, and no place for Charli Grant in the visitors’ squad, Rosengård built a 2-0 lead at the break thanks to strikes from Sofie Bredgaard and Jelena Cankovic. Any hopes that the Solna-based hosts had of getting back into the game went up in smoke within three minutes of the re-start when Olivia Schough fed Cankovic to grab her second. Within eight minutes Schough made it 4-0 and added another just after the hour mark. Emma Berglund completed the rout a minute before the end. AIK remain bottom, but are within three points of safety. When the season resumes in August, matches against their fellow strugglers will decide their fate.
IF Brommapojkarna are second-bottom after going down 3-1 at home to European chasing Eskilstuna United. Elise Stenevik provided the assist for Paulina Nyström to put the visitors ahead after 16 minutes. Ngozi Okobi-Okeoghene benefitted from Felicia Rogic’s set-up to make it 2-0 seven minutes before the break. Rogic sealed the win from the penalty spot on the hour mark. Ida Bengtsson got a goal back for the hosts, but Eskilstuna ran out comfortable winners in front of 152 fans.
Kristianstads are third after securing their fifth straight win, seeing off Piteå 1-0 in front of 759 fans. Evelyn Viens maintained her red-hot scoring streak with the winner after just 10 minutes.
Linköping are second after destroying Umeå IK 7-0 in front of 622 fans. Olga Ahtinen put the hosts ahead after 26 minutes. Yuka Momiki netted the first of her two goals for the afternoon shortly afterwards. Amalie Vangsgaard made it 3-0 at the break. Further goals from Heidi Ellingsen and Alva Selerud either side of Momiki’s second put Linköping 6-0 up before Johanna Svedberg completed the scoring four minutes from time.
Djurgården headed towards the upper reaches of midtable after a 1-0 win on the road at IFK Kalmar. Julia Walentowicz scored the winning goal nine minutes from time in front of 313 fans.
Vittsjö‘s European hopes suffered a setback after going down 2-1 at home to KIF Örebro in a game watched by 623 fans. Fielding both Clare Polkinghorne and Katrina Gorry, the hosts went ahead after 36 minutes through Linda Sällström. However, that was as good as it got for Vittsjö. Two goals in two minutes before the break from Jenna Hellstrom and Michaela Kovacs turned the game in Örebro’s favour.
Next Fixtures: 6th August: IFK Kalmar v Kristianstads. 12th August: Kristianstads v Vittsjö. 14th August: Umeå IK v IFK Kalmar, Eskilstuna United v Hammarby, KIF Örebro v IF Brommapojkarna, Piteå v AIK. 15th August: Djurgården v Linköping. 19th August: BK Häcken v KIF Örebro, Piteå v Rosengård.
ELITETTAN
by Ben Gilby
Leaders IK Uppsala saw off a Team TG FF side who are only just above the drop zone as expected. However, they had more difficulty imposing themselves on the scoreboard than many of the assembled crowd of 213 may have expected. Hanna Persson scored the only goal after 26 minutes. The win was further tempered for the home side by the news that Taryn Ries had to leave the game due to a foot injury
IFK Norrköping lost the chance to remain second when they could only draw 1-1 at Jitex BK. Alexandra Hellekant gave the hosts the lead with just two minutes on the clock. My Cato earned the point with just over 15 minutes left.
Växjö took advantage of IFK Norrköping’s stumble to go second with their expected demolition of struggling visitors Bergdalens IK which delighted the crowd of 347. The hosts were ahead after just two minutes due to an own goal. Hanna Stokki made it 2-0 20 minutes later. The second half started with a bang as Evelyn Ijeh netted her customary goal before Mimmi Strömgren got in on the act just past the hour mark. Dessislava Dupuy hit a brace before Izabella Bergström hit a consolation for Bergdalens.
Alingsås FC United are second, one point behind IK Uppsala after demolishing second-bottom Rävåsens IK Karlskoga 10-0 at home in front of a crowd of 190. There were five goals in each half. Lisa Johansson and Stine Jensen both grabbed hat-tricks, with Alma Öberg adding a brace and Olivia Sultan contributing one along with Ina Österlind.
Round 12 Results: Ifö Bromölla 0-1 Sundsvalls, IK Uppsala 1-0 Team TG FF, Jitex BK 1-1 IFK Norrköping, Mallbackens IF Sunne 4-1 Lidköpings FK, Växjö 6-1 Bergdalens IK, Alingsås FC United 10-0 Rävåsens IK Karlskoga, Gamla Upsala 3-1 Älvsjö AIK FF.
Next Fixtures: 23rd June: Bergdalens IK v Gamla Uppsala. 27th June: IFK Norrköping v IK Uppsala. 23rd July: Sundsvalls v Mallbackens IF Sunne, Rävåsens IK Karlskoga v Växjö, Team TG FF v Jitex BK. 24th July: Lidköpings FK v Ifö Bromölla, Älvsjö AIK FF v Alingsås FC United.
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