Off the mark for the season Eskilstuna picked up their first points of the year against Hammarby as Kristianstad grabbed their first win to go with their unbeaten record, defeating Kalmar in the process. Elsewhere LB07 slipped past Vittsjö as Piteå beat Växjö by the same margin and Rosengård left it late against Djurgården before Linköping overcame Göteborg.
Limhamn Bunkeflo 1-0 Vittsjö
Kicking off a round of low-scoring fixtures, LB07 found their winner against Vittsjö just before the hour Mia Persson swept a low Sofia Wännerdahl corner home from just inside the box. The hosts the team in control throughout, the goal could have been one of many, finishing at a premium in Malmö, the win their first in the league in eight matches.
Kalmar 1-2 Kristianstad
Having settled well in Damallsvenskan, Kalmar took an early lead at Gröndals IP when Amanda Fredriksson poked Elsa Karlsson’s lofted ball home at the far post, three minutes in. The lead held for the majority of the match, the visitors having left their finishing boots at home were gifted an equaliser late int the day when Erin Gunther got her feet in a muddle and lifted the ball away from Tove Enblom and into her own net. The own goal not just costly to the tune of two points but three, as Kristianstad dug out a late winner, Amanda Edgren’s chip from 20-yards rocketing over the box and dropping just under the bar.
Djurgården 1-2 Rosengård
Kept off the top spot by Piteå, FCR had the chance to retake the lead in the league before PIF took to the pitch the next day. A free kick midway through the first half enough for the visitors in Stockholm as Iva Landeka’s ball slipped through the cluster of bodies in the box, bouncing outside Guðbjörg Gunnarsdóttir as it curled back on itself to bounce in off of the upright.
Petronella Ekroth’s lofted ball brought about parity early in the second half when it dropped by the near post, Michelle Wörner the one to react and hammer the ball into the roof of the net. Asking questions of Zećira Mušović, the young goalkeeper stood up to the pressure to keep the hosts out, her side finding the winner ten minutes from time. Landeka involved in Rosengård’s second as well, her cross in hammered home by Glódís Perla Viggósdóttir as she rose at the back post to head over.
As FCR keep check at the top end of the table, DIF find themselves with just one win from their first four matches and more worrying for Joel Riddez, both Malin Diaz and Irma Helin were forced off through injury during the match.
Växjö 0-1 Piteå
Despite the chances flowing for both throughout the match, the ball refused to find the back of the net with both defences just about doing their respective jobs until five minutes before the break. Opening her account for the season, Nina Jakobsson pounced on a weak attempted clearance from Elin Karlsson, the ball dropped in front of the attacker for her to slot home. Perfect so far this season, the visitors rode their luck at the end of the match, Ritah Kivumbi’s certain goal left to bounce against the near post before being sent well over on the rebound.
Eskilstuna United 1-0 Hammarby
Without a point, let alone a win so far this season, United showed their intent from the off against Hammarby, limiting their opposition from the first whistle to the last. Not just not winning matches, but not looking too sharp in front of goal so far this term, with both goals in 2018 coming after the 85 minute mark, Petra Johansson’s first half goal would have been the salve the hosts were looking for.
The more dangerous team throughout, the decisive moment came seven minutes before the break, when Johansson’s overlapping run opened up the space for captain to latch onto Mimmi Larsson’s through ball, slotting it under Emma Holmgren. The goal enough for United’s first points of the season, Hammarby with a second successive loss.
Linköping 1-0 Kopparbergs/Göteborg
Capping off the weekend with another low-scoring match, the reigning champions bounced back well from two disappointing results, the team lead by interim coach, Henrik Jensen. The match decided half-way through the first half when Nicoline Sørensen took a touch before blasting Emma Lennartsson’s pull back against the underside of the bar and in.
An even contest throughout both Hilda Carlén and Jennifer Falk stood up to the pressure well, the Göteborg goalkeeper making her league return exactly 365 days since her last appearance following a year out with concussion. The win enough to take LFC up to third, with KG stuck on four points with Vittsjö and LB07.
