The Swedish Scene

Ben Gilby rounds up all the action from both the Damallsvenskan and Elitettan (20/2/22).

Above: Klara Andrup shows her joy after hitting a superb equaliser for IF Brommapojkarna against Djurgården on Sunday. Photo: Tomas Sedin / Sedinbild.

Damallsvenskan Round 20 Wrap:

Kristianstads gained an important victory in the Champions League race as they ended Hammarby‘s recent excellent form with a 3-1 win in front of 725 fans. The home side stamped their authority on the game early when Amanda Andradottir put them ahead with 12 minutes played. Ten minutes into the second half, the prolific Tabby Tindell doubled Kristianstads lead after being played in by Mia Carlsson. Hammarby brought on Matildas pair Courtney Nevin and Elise Kellond-Knight in response, joining Kyra Cooney-Cross who started the match. However, Emelia Oskarsdottir extended the home side’s lead further before a consolation for the visitors came at the end when Savage Hashish benefited from Fanny Rönnlund’s assist.

Rosengård remain top after a comprehensive 6-2 win over struggling IFK Kalmar – but they certainly did not have it all their own way. Indeed, the visitors built leads of 1-0 and 2-1 before succumbing to the defending champions’ quality. Viola Nambi put Kalmar ahead with 13 minutes on the clock before Olivia Schough fed Mia Persson to level within 120 seconds. Wilma Finnman restored the visitors’ lead before the half-hour mark before Ria Öling levelled matters eight minutes from the break. The second half was all Rosengård as strikes from Loreta Kullashi and an 18-minute hat-trick from Karin Lundin sealed the points to the delight of the 876 fans.

BK Häcken‘s faltering Champions League qualification hopes gained a boost with a 2-1 win at Eskilstuna United. Hanna Wijk fed Stine Larsen to put the visitors ahead just after the half-hour mark. Mia Jalkerud supplied the assist as Paulina Nyström levelled with just over an hour played to the joy of the gathered 1,031. With 20 minutes remaining, Marika Lundin settled matters with Häcken’s winner.

IF Brommapojkarna gained a point to climb out of the automatic relegation zone against Stockholm rivals Djurgården. They had to do it the hard way though, coming from behind as Stinalisa Johansson put the visitors ahead after 25 minutes. Klara Andrup levelled matters with a superb shot that whistled past legendary Djurgården goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl just over 10 minutes from time.

KIF Örebro hammered another nail in AIK‘s miserable season after handing the Solna-based side a 5-1 thrashing, with even Australian international Remy Siemsen’s second goal in two games doing failing to ease the pain. Berglind Augustdottir hit Örebro’s opener on the half-hour mark. It remained a single-goal lead until a spell of two goals in five minutes either side of the hour mark effectively settled matters. Nathalie Persson fed Regan Steigleder to double the hosts’ lead with Katie Lockwood benefitting from Augustdottir’s assist. With 20 minutes left, Siemsen gave AIK a glimmer of hope, but this was snuffed out as Örebro added two further goals in the closing stages thanks to Heidi Kollanen’s penalty and Michaela Kovacs’ effort which was greatly appreciated by the crowd of 391. AIK, despite only recording two wins for the season, are still just three points from safety.

Linköping are second, two points behind leaders Rosengård after coming from behind to win 2-1 at Vittsjö. The home side fielded three Matildas in their starting line-up. Clara Markstedt provided the assist for Jutta Rantala to give Vittsjö the lead to the delight of the 695 crowd. Shortly before the hour mark, Alva Selerud found Michelle De Jongh who levelled. Then, with six minutes remaining, Linköping sealed all three points with Olga Ahtinen on target.

Piteå won the final game of the round at struggling Umeå IK. The only goal of the game came from Josephine Johansson five minutes before the break thanks to Anam Imo’s assist.

Round 21 Fixtures (24th – 26th Sept): BK Häcken v IF Brommapojkarna, Kristianstads v Djurgården, Rosengård v Vittsjö, IFK Kalmar v Piteå, AIK v Eskilstuna United, Umeå IK v KIF Örebro, Hammarby v Linköping.

Elitettan News:

The weekend’s big game was the battle of the top two which saw IK Uppsala and Växjö go head to head in front of 306 fans. The outcome, a 2-0 win for Växjö, puts them four points clear at the top of the table and in pole position to claim an instant return to the Damallsvenskan. Fittingly, it was the recently announced Elitettan player of the month for August, Evelyn Ijeh, who hit both goals, after 19 and 62 minutes.

Third-placed Alingsås FC United lost a major chance to cut the gap on the top two as they conceded a goal four minutes into second-half stoppage time in a 1-1 draw with an Ifö Bromölla IF side who are in the lower third of the table. Rebecca Cameras gave Alingsås the lead three minutes before the break. Then at the death, up popped Desirée Tiittanen to score a dramatic leveller for the visitors to the frustration of the 150 crowd.

Whilst remaining in fourth, IFK Norrköping took advantage of Alingsås’ slip-up to close the gap after a 3-1 win at Sundsvalls in front of 74 fans. My Cato’s strike put the visitors ahead right on half-time. Ebere Orji brought Sundsvalls back into the game with a leveller eight minutes into the second half. IFK Norrköping then took charge as Wilma Leidhammer and Cato’s stoppage-time strike sealed the win.

Team TG FF gained a hugely important three points in their battle to beat the drop with a hugely dramatic 2-1 win at second-bottom Rävåsens IK Karlskoga. They had to do it the hard way with Christie Gray giving the home side the lead seven minutes into the second period. Rävåsens held the lead until two minutes from time when an own goal gave Team TG FF a lifeline. Then, five minutes into stoppage time up stepped Alexandra Sandstrom to score a winner for the visitors to plunge the home crowd of 126 into dispair. Team TG FF are consequently seven points clear of the drop zone.

Results Round 20: Rävåsens IK Karlskoga 1-2 Team TG FF, Alingsås FC United 1-1 Ifö Bromölla IF, Lidköpings FK 4-0 Mallbackens IF Sunne, Älvsjö AIK FF 0-1 Gamla Upsala SK, Sundsvalls 1-3 IFK Norrköping, IK Uppsala 0-2 Växjö, Bergdalens IK 3-2 Jitex BK.

Round 21 Fixtures (24th – 25th Sept): Gamla Upsala SK v Bergdalens IK, Jitex BK v IK Uppsala, Mallbackens IF Sunne v Alingsås FC United, Ifö Bromölla IF v Älvsjö AIK FF, Sundsvalls v Lidköpings FK, IFK Norrköping v Team TG FF, Växjö v Rävåsens IK Karlskoga.