Linköping continued their strong start to the season with a nervy win over KIK as Rosengård’s win over Vittsjö saw them leap-frog Eskilstuna after United dropped points to Piteå. Further down the table, LB07, DIF and Kristianstad all found useful wins over Örebro, KG and Hammarby respectively.
Limhamn Bunkeflo 2-0 KIF Örebro
In a win that catapulted them into fifth, LB07 netted their fourth win of the year to heap the misery on for dead-last Örebro.
After coming close in the first-half the hosts finally broke the deadlock five minutes after Hanna Terry had contentiously had a goal ruled out, Eveline Parikka in the right place at the right time to send the loose ball home. The opening goal another contentious moment in the game that looked like it too should have been written off, Michaela Johnsson appearing offside before her intervention leading to the goal. Whilst the minutes leading up to it had been questionable there was no doubt over Mia Persson’s thunderstrike moments after the restart, the captain the recipient of Johnsson’s lay-off in the box, her arced ball far too much for Carola Söberg to deal with.
Vittsjö GIK 0-3 Rosengård
Having had one or two wobbles this year, FCR hit the ground running at the Vittsjö IP, in-form Lieke Martens able to give her side the lead ten minutes in with a peach from the top of the box to the far top corner. Lotta Schelin’s quick-fire second, a lob over Shannon Lynn, had the visitors two goals to the good inside of fifteen minutes with no-way back for the hosts who had yet to hit their stride in the game.
Significant improvements throughout saw Vittsjö find firmer footing and begin to challenge for the ball, Linda Sällström’s driven second-half effort enough to have Zecira Musovic beaten, the upright keeping FCR’s clean-sheet intact. With nothing to show for their efforts the hosts were made to pay for some sloppy defending, Lynn’s middling clearance well taken by Ella Masar as she worked enough space to lob the advanced ‘keeper from 22-yards.
The three goals take Rosengård up to 26 for the season so far, the most of any one team, their significantly better goal difference enough to take them into second, tied for points with Eskilstuna.
Kristianstad 5-2 Kopparbergs/Göteborg
Still looking for a result to match their performance, Kristianstad finally found the rub of the green at home to KG, the travelling defence no match for them as the hosts hit five past Anna Larsson and co’.
On top from the get-go, Amanda Edgren fired the hosts ahead on the quarter-hour, finding space to blast the ball into the net after Mia Carlsson had done well to keep a throw-in alive in the box. A flicked header from Pauline Hammarlund was enough to see the visitors draw level when she met Nathalie Persson’s cross in the air, the parity was however short-lived when Hanna Sandström guided the ball home after Larsson had parried.
Sandström completed her brace just after the hour to give the hosts a cushion, arriving in perfect time onto Ogonna Chukwudi’s improvised back-heel to chip the ball into the unguarded net from well outside the area. Chukwudi’s diving header fifteen minutes later put the match to bed as the visiting defence began to fall apart Chukwudi involved in KDFF’s fifth too as she set up Rebecka Holm two minutes after Hammarlund had grabbed her second header of the game.
The result no less than Kristianstad deserved after a thoroughly dominant performance that could have seen them score many more, the win enough to give them a degree of safety in the table, Göteborg however are down to tenth.
Linköping 3-2 Kvarnsveden
Reigning champions Linköping, made it through yet another nervy game to keep a firm grip on top-spot, five points clear of the chasing two although KIK didn’t make it easy for them.
Marija Banušić gave the hosts the lead just eight minutes in after her deflected shot from Kristie Minde’s square pass squeezed in off of Jenny Wahlén’s outstretched glove. Well-matched throughout, Tabita Chawinga restored parity with another fine solo goal just before the break to leave the two square at half-time.
Johanna Axfeldt’s own goal five minutes after the break had the hosts leading once more, the defender left red-faced after her touch had taken Jonna Andersson’s dangerous cross away from Wahlén and into the bottom corner. Minde’s back-post volley ten minutes later looked to have the match wrapped up for the leagues leaders but it only took two minutes for Kvarnsveden to cut the deficit in half once again. Chawinga’s neat one-two with Lova Lundin was enough to see the Malawian international glide into the box through the centre backs and smash the ball past Cajsa Andersson ensuring a nervous last half an hour that saw both sides come close.
Eskilstuna United 0-1 Piteå IF
After starting the season so well, Eskilstuna continued to wobble, their shooting boots elsewhere when they came up against PIF, the better chances easily saved by Hilda Carlén before a hanging header from Nina Jakobsson gave the visitors a late lead at the Tunavallen. With time fast running out Petra Johansson managed to draw a triple save from Emelie Lövgren as the defender did everything should could to ensure all three points were heading back north to Piteå.
Hammarby 0-2 Djurgården
Finally looking to have settled this season, DIF claimed their second win on the spin in Stockholm after edging Hammarby over ninety minutes. Captain Mia Jalkerud was the one to break the deadlock just before the hour, recipient of a poor pass from Alexandra Lindberg, the attacker drove forward into space before arcing her shot over Emma Holmgren. Tempest-Marie Norlin doubled the advantage ten minutes later with her third of the year to leave no room for a comeback after slipping the ball past Holmgren’s left boot and into the bottom corner.
The win sees Djurgården up to sixth after a shaky start to the year, Hammarby still stuck in the bottom two.
