Spiga

August 18, 2010

Damallsvenskan 2010, round 15


Two oldies but goodies made the headlines this week— Hanna Marklund by scoring a goal, and Kicki Bengtsson by merely taking the field. Saturday 14 was a beastly hot day in southern Sweden, as these things go, with temperatures at least in the 80s F and unusually high humidity.


14 aug
Djurgården IF v. Jitex BK 1 - 3 (0 - 2)
Goals: 24' Kajsa Tornfalk 0-1; 44' Frida Höglund (passning Sofia Karlsson) 2-0; 50' Annica Sjölund (penalty) 0-3; 85' Klara Lindberg (passning Matilda Rosqvist) 1-3
Warnings: JBK Sofia Karlsson 14'
Source: damfotboll, Jitex BK

DIF was coming off a victory against Hammarby IF in the Cup, but was not in good enough to overcome the year's overachievers JBK. Down by two goals in the first half, DIF was then whistled for a penalty early in the second when JBK's Kristin Carlsson was pushed in the box, and victory for JBK seemed assured, despite some last minute heroics from DIF's Lindberg.

JBK dominated physically, despite the heat. "It seemed more like a 6-0 game than a 3-1 game," crowed JBK coach Hans Prytz, who pointed to the good play of the goal scorers and also Sofia Skoog. Frida Höglund was awarded player of the match, in the presence of her mother, and the JBK reporter hopes that Mamma Höglund can make it to the next match, away in Örebro, presumably for luck. "The Purples" from Mölndal have now beaten every Stockholm team at least once (as long as you don't count Tyresö), and Djurgåren twice.


14 aug
Kopparbergs/Göteborg v. Hammarby IF DFF 2 - 1 (0 - 0)
Goals: 58' Lisa Dahlkvist (penalty) 1-0; 85' Linnea Liljegärd (passning Caroline Näfver) 2-0; 87' Nazanin Vaseghpanah (penalty) 2-1
Warnings: K/G Jenny Hallstenson 37'
Source: damfotboll, K/G

Kopparbergs/Göteborg's coach Torbjörn Nilsson described the first half as static, with few goal chances; starting defender Marlene Sjöberg (who feeling poorly) was replaced by forward Linnea Liljegärd (who herself has not been well since the trip to the US in July) at the half. The second half started badly for K/G, with some "pinball" action allowing HIF some counter attacks. K/G's Sara Lindén earned K/G's penalty kick, and otherwise menaced, but HIF's goalkeeper Minna Meriluoto had a brilliant day and it was not until late in the game that the combination play of Johanna Almgren and Näfver opened the way for Liljegärd's volley. Keeping in mind their earlier Cup victory over K/G, HIF pushed hard and fought valiantly in the last few minutes, and was awarded a penalty, leaving K/G coach Nilsson nervous until the very end.

Taking the pitch at left midfield for HIF in the 65th minute was national team veteran Kicki Bengstsson, who has promised to help HIF for the rest of the season; HIF has important matches yet to come against fellow relegation contenders Djurgården and AIK.

14 aug
Sunnanå SK v. AIK 2 - 0 (1 - 0)
Goals: 3' Hanna Marklund (passning Elin Johansson) 1-0; 88' Perpetua Nkwocha 2-0
Warnings: 58' AIK Emelie Ölander; 86' SSK Elin Johansson
Source: damfotboll

Already by the second minute SSK's Linda Fransson had missed a penalty kick, but then in the third, national team veteran "The Eternal" Marklund had scored a header from a corner kick. SSK continued to have several chances at goal, not least through the efforts of Nkwocha. The second half was similarly played, and Nkwocha's goal was well-deserved by that point, according to SSK coach Krister Lundgren.

AIK's coach Patric Jildefalk described his team's effort as "passive" and thought it typical of them to go down a goal so early, but he gave high marks to goalkeeper Johanna Baecklund, who got the start instead of Maja Åström on account of the latter's illness.

15 aug
Kristianstads DFF v. Tyresö FF 0 - 3 (0 - 2)
Goals: 12' Katrin Schmidt (passning Kirsten van de Ven) 0-1; 32' Kirsten van de Ven (passning Line Roddik/Hansen) 0-2; 90+3' Kirsten van de Ven (passning Lisa Klinga) 0-3
Warnings: KDFF Kirsty Yallop 55'; KDFF Mia Carlsson 87'
Source: damfotboll

It has been a turbulent month for KDFF, with questions arising about the team's economic situation; their trainer Elisabet Gunnarsdottir mentioned that these issues made it hard to properly motivate and concentrate the players. KDFF's best chances came early in the second half with two corner kicks in quick succession.

TFF seems to have obviously been the better team on the day, which coach Tino Katsolulakis attributed to his players' strong play and good ball control. Van de Ven had a particularly good day, with two goals and an assist.

16 aug
KIF Örebro DFF v. LdB FC Malmö 1 - 3 (1 - 1)
Goals: 27' Emma Wilhelmsson 0-1; 28' Elin Magnusson (passning Marie Hammarström) 1-1; 79' Pavlina Scasna (passning Manon Melis) 1-2; 82' Therese Sjögran
Warnings: LdB Pavlina Scasna 44'; KIF Sanna Valkonen 76'
Source: damfotboll

KIF goaltender Kristin Hammarström made the match interesting with her many good saves, especially one against LdB striker Melis inside the first five minutes. On the LdB end of the field, Tine Cederkvist returned to start in goal after Icelandic national goalkeeper Thora Helgadottir was injured during the warm-ups. LdB dominated especially in the second half, although they did not score again until late, through Scasna (who used to play for KIF) and then a bit of artistry from Sjögran.

17 aug
Linköpings FC v. Umeå FC 5 - 0 (2 - 0)
Goals: 23' Josefine Öqvist (passning Louise Fors) 1-0; 40' Kosovare Asllani (passning Tilda Heimersson) 2-0; 59' Kosovare Asllani (passning Petra Larsson) 3-0; 90+1 Linda Sällström 4-0; 90+3 Linda Sällström (passning Maja Krantz)5-0
Source: damfotboll, svenskfotboll, and my own eyes (longer wrap-up)

Asllani, last seen playing for the Chicago Red Stars in WPS, made two goals and looked quite sharp in her re-debut for LFC. Fors (also recently returned, from Spanish side Espanyol) and Öqvist also had good days, and Sällström, who replaced Asllani in the 66th minute, had two goals in stoppage time.

LFC looked dominant throughout, with UIK taking few shots, and its defense looking generally shaky. UIK is simply not what is has been, notes svenskfotboll; they believe they shall make it back to the top, although it will take time, notes Roland Arnqvist, the man who saw them through their better years, and who has recently returned to UIK.

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