Eskilstuna went to the top of the Damallsvenskan this weekend with a tight win over Göteborg, whilst Linköping suffering their first league deafeat in almost 600 days to an imperious Rosengård.
Elsewhere, LB07 and Kvarnsvedens pulled off shocks at home to DIF and KIF respectively whilst Kristianstad and Hammarby played out a scoreless draw. The only match on Sunday saw three goals in seven minutes as Piteå came from behind to scoop all three points from Vittsjö.
Limhamn Bunkeflo 2-1 Djurgården
Still struggling and looking like a team in the second season, Djurgården had little joy in Malmö, Michaela Johnsson giving the hosts a deserved lead late in the first-half with a low shot to the bottom right corner. Cecilia Pedersen doubled the advantage ten minutes after the break in spectacular fashion, her effort from 25-yards sailing through the air and punching the back of the net, Petra Kümin left grasping at the air. Close control from Mia Jalkerud in the box saw the captain spin her marker before rifling home, but still unable to really get going it was of little consequence as the hosts saw the match out for their second win of the year.
Kvarnsveden 3-1 KIF Örebro
One of the bigger surprises of the season that of Örebro’s poor form, KIF left with another damning defeat in Borlänge, KIK and Tabita Chawinga just too good for them. The hosts took the lead ten minutes in when Lova Lundin played Chawinga through, the Malawian able to convert from close-range, the Örebro defence unable to deal with her throughout. Latching onto a ball over the top against a high defence, Chawinga tore through the final third, almost getting in a tangle with Carola Söberg but having the shade of luck to see the ball pushed back onto her toe for her to volley home.
However, the games was far from over and the visitors found the back of the net from outside the box yet again, Julia Spetsmark taking her tally to three for the season after bringing the ball down and wrapping it near post. If there was to be a comeback, KIK hadn’t received the memo and Julia Roddar drew a fine fingertip save from Söberg ten minutes before Chawinga rounded off her hat trick, the striker denied earlier in the half by determined defending from Frida Svensson and Söberg. But there was nothing that was going to stop Chawinga when she once again got in behind, a touch to take the ball away from the ‘keeper before she rolled it into the open net.
Kvarnsveden now one of the three teams on seven points from six games, KIF rock bottom.
Kristianstad 0-0 Hammarby
With both teams still finding their way in the league this season, Kristianstad confoundingly bottom of the pile coming into the match, there was everything to play for.
Hammarby saw the first real chance of the match, Olga Ekblom’s sloppy finishing stopping the visitors from taking a thirteenth minute lead, the story rather different in the opposite box, green and white shirts blocking all paths for the hosts. The game open all the way through but poor finishing and staunch defending kept the two deadlocked, neither willing to stop battling all the way into stoppage time however it just wasn’t to be either of their days and for two teams desperate for three points, the two points dropped could prove costly come the end of the season.
Linköping 0-3 Rosengård
In what was supposed to be the tie of the round, Rosengård eased to a healthy win over reigning champions, Linköping. Having gone 580 days since their last league defeat – against the same opponents that saw them miss out on a chance of a top two finish and Champions League football for 2016-17 – LFC saw their streak come to an abrupt end.
Lieke Martens fired the visitors ahead four minutes in when she was first to the ball after Cajsa Andersson parried Lotta Schelin’s point-blank shot, her volley leading the ‘keeper rooted. The lead instantly doubled by Schelin as she latched into Sanne Troelsgaard’s ball over the top, chipping it over Andersson with ease as she sprinted out of her goal.
Barely able to get up in attack, the hosts were torn apart time and again, Ella Masar on the scoresheet as she blasted the shot over the line and through the back of the net as it looked to be cresting across the goal from Schelin’s shot, the attacker able to rob Magdalena Eriksson of the ball with ease. The was a slight improvement from Linköping after the break, Janni Arnth confoundingly the host’s best outlet, her header smacking against the bar just after the hour but the match was already over. Rosengård continued to look for more goals, the ten-time champions glad to be back to winning ways and inching back into the mix at the top.
Kopparbergs/Göteborg 0-1 Eskilstuna United
United went top with their narrow win in Gothenburg, the game far from littered with chances but Fanny Lund the busier of the two keepers over the match. Olivia Schough’s winner just before the hour a real moment of quality in a stilted match, the Swedish international able to pick out the far corner with a curler from outside the box to send her team to the Damallsvenskan summit, ‘Tuna the only team unbeaten this season.
Piteå 2-1 Vittsjö
Knocking on the door for the majority of the match, the hosts surprisingly went behind after Emmi Alanen picked out countrywoman, Linda Sällström in the box, Sällström able to take a touch and get away from her marker before dinking the ball over Hilda Carlén. However, the lead lasted just seconds when June Pedersen picked out Julia Karlenäs at a corner, the rangy midfielder able to nod the ball over Shannon Lynn’s gloves.
The comeback completed six minutes later by substitute Nina Jakobsson as she stuck a boot out at Karlenäs’ low cross, the visiting defence all too static as they fell to their third defeat of the season.
