Ben Gilby rounds up all the action from both the Damallsvenskan and Elitettan and DandalBs provides his news round-up from around the leagues
Above: Vittsjö and their Australian internationals celebrate during their 3-0 win at Djurgården. Photo: Bildbyrån via Vittsjö.
Damallsvenskan Round 19 Wrap:
Umeå IK are suddenly looking over their shoulders near the bottom of the table after a 5-0 thumping at BK Häcken. Pauline Hammarlund contributed a hat-trick, the first of which came after 19 minutes after Hanna Wijk found her. Six minutes before the break, Hammarlund grabbed her second as Elin Rubensson provided the assist. Two goals in a four-minute spell early in the second half killed off any hopes that Umeå had as Hammarlund completed her hat-trick and Stine Larsen played in Anna Csiki to make it 4-0. Mille Jensen made it five in the closing stages, to the delight of the assembled crowd of 1,232.
AIK‘s season of struggle continued as they went down to a 6-2 defeat at home to second place Kristianstads. Whilst the Solna-based side will have the positive of their Australian international striker Remy Siemsen scoring her first goal since moving to Sweden, it only came after they were well beaten. Kristianstads’ red-hot attacking force of Evelyn Viens and Tabby Tindell produced the visitors’ first three goals between them. Viens completed her hat-trick six minutes into the second half with Mia Carlsson making it 5-0 with only 56 minutes on the clock. AIK grabbed the first of two consolations with 20 minutes to go thanks to an own goal before Siemsen scored with two minutes remaining. However, Kristianstads had the final word at the death as Viens grabbed her fourth in front of a crowd of 432.
Hammarby‘s strong squad showed that they are most definitely in the race for Champions League qualification after they became only the second team all season to defeat defending champions and league leaders Rosengård. Played in front of an excellent crowd of 1,538, the Stockholm-based side took a grip of the game in the opening 24 minutes as two goals from Swedish international Madelen Janogy set them on the way. This was a match that saw four Australian internationals on the team sheets, with Elise Kellond-Knight (Hammarby) and Teagan Micah (Rosengård) starting and Kyra Cooney-Cross joining Courtney Nevin on the bench for the home side. Rosengård’s lead at the top of the Damallsvenskan is subsequently cut to three points. Hammarby are now just five points outside of the top three.
IFK Kalmar are also looking nervously over their shoulders in the bottom third of the table after going down 4-0 at home to KIF Örebro. Three goals in a nine-minute spell after the half-hour mark settled matters in front of 360 fans. Regan Steigleder hit Örebro ahead with Michaela Kovacs doubling the advantage within six minutes. Emelia Pelgander made it three. Within two minutes of the second half opening, Berglind Augustdottir completed the rout.
Linköping came from behind twice to defeat Eskilstuna United 5-2 at home. The visitors produced a game show which made light of their financial problems which has necessitated the trimming of their squad. Noor Eckhoff gave Eskilstuna the lead on 22 minutes – an advantage that lasted only four minutes before Amalie Vangsgaard grabbed the first of four goals to level. Eckhoff struck again to ensure the visitors led at the break. Therese Simonsen equalised before Vangsgaard scored three in 18 minutes to complete her tally for the game.
Piteå‘s hopes of breaking into the top six foundered as they were held 0-0 at home to second-bottom IF Brommapojkarna in front of a crowd of 982. This was an excellent result for the visitors who are now within just two points of IFK Kalmar, who are in the lowest safe position in the table.
Vittsjö move up to sixth after a 3-0 win at Djurgården. Starting with all three of their Australian internationals – Clare Polkinghorne, Charli Grant, and Katrina Gorry – the visitors took a stranglehold on the match thanks to two goals from Jutta Rantala in a seven-minute spell with Gorry returning from Matildas international duty to score Vittsjö’s third in front of 442 fans.
Round 20 Fixtures (16th – 19th Sept): Rosengård v IFK Kalmar, Kristianstads v Hammarby, Eskilstuna United v BK Häcken, IF Brommapojkarna v Djurgården, KIF Örebro v AIK, Umeå IK v Piteå, Vittsjö v Linköping.
Elitettan News:
Växjö are a point clear at the Elitettan summit after a comprehensive 6-0 win at home in the top verses bottom clash with Älvsjö AIK FF. Two goals on either side of the half-hour mark from Dessislava Dupuy put the hosts in control. Amanda Altheden made it three four minutes into the second period. Three more goals came in the final 15 minutes with Evelyn Ijeh, Mimmi Strömgren, and Sophia Redenstrand on target in front of 286 fans.
IK Uppsala are second after a 2-1 win a Team TG FF Goals from Johanna Renmark and Nicole Robertson before the break set the visitors on their way. Emma Åström’s strike nine minutes into the second half gave the hosts hope, but they couldn’t fashion an equaliser to the frustration of the 84 fans gathered.
Alingsås FC United are third, a further point behind, after a 5-0 win at home to Sundsvalls. Olivia Sultan and Lisa Johansson put the hosts ahead towards the end of the first half, with an own goal four minutes into the second stanza increasing the lead. Two goals in seven minutes in the final quarter of the encounter from Rebecca Cameras and Pernilla Milton completed the scoring in front of 150 fans.
Results Round 19: Gamla Upsala SK 0-3 Jitex BK, Alingsås FC United 5-0 Sundavalls, Ifö Bromölla IF 1-3 Lidköpings FK, Mallbackens IF Sunne 3-0 Bergdalens IK, Team TG FF 1-2 IK Uppsala, Växjö 6-0 Älvsjö AIK FF, IFK Norrköping 4-1 Rävåsens IK Karlskoga.
Round 20 Fixtures (17th – 19th Sept): Rävåsens IK Karlskoga v Team TG FF, Alingsås FC United v Ifö Bromölla IF, Lidköpings FK v Mallbackens IF Sunne, Älvsjö AIK FF v Gamla Upsala SK, Sundsvalls v IFK Norrköping, IK Uppsala v Växjö, Bergdalens IK v Jitex BK.
News Round-Up
by DandalBs
Eskilstuna United‘s financial problems sees them continue to sell players. The latest to depart is 22-year-old Norwegian defender Elise Stenevik, who has joined WSL side Everton.
The Champions League final qualifying round draws for Swedish sides see Rosengård paired with Norwegian side Brann, with BK Häcken given a tough test against Paris St. Germain.
Swedish star Freja Olofsson is heading to Real Madrid from Racing Louisville in a move that has seen a six-figure transfer fee in return.
BK Häcken‘s Lotte Ökvist has joined Eskilstuna United on loan. Häcken head coach Robert Vilahamn favours other players in Ökvist’s position and she hasn’t even made the bench the post-Euro matches. Also departing Häcken is Julia Karlernäs who has joined Serie A newcomers Como.
Sweden had a successful ending to their World Cup qualifying campaign with a 5-0 win over Finland. Goals from Stina Blackstenius, Lina Hurtig, Linda Sembrant, Rebecka Blomqvist, and Fridolina Rolfö earned an impressive victory.
Sweden have revealed an extremely challenging schedule for the next international window has been revealed. Peter Gerhardsson’s side will play Spain in Cordoba on 7th October, four days before taking on France in Göteborg.
There are reports that AIK‘s Honoka Hayashi is close to signing with West Ham United in the WSL.
The Damallsvenskan Player of the Month nominees for September were Vilde Hasund (Hammarby), Rebecca Knaak (Rosengård) and Fanny Andersson (Piteå).
impetusfootball.org 