FC Rosengård claimed Svenska Cupen glory on Sunday, with a 3-1 win over Linköpings FC.

Lotta Schelin gave Rosengård the lead just before the break and Lieke Mertens made it two immediately after.

Stina Blackstenius gave Linköping some hope, only for Marta to crush that almost straight away.

Schelin strike gives Rosengård the advantage

It was clear from the get go that Rosengård were trying to pressure Linköping high up and control the midfield, and for most of the first half they succeeded at just that. From the beginning Linköping struggled to play their way out from their own defence, which is something they’re known for being good at.

Today, a lot of the passes were played back or right to a Rosengård player, instead of finding their intended targets. Rosengård spoke about closing down Linköping’s star player Pernille Harder before the game, and Anita Asante among others, was tasked with this and succeeded for most of the game. It was obvious this disrupted a lot of Linköpings play.

Rosengård had the first few chances of the game. Lotta Schelin was found in behind a high defensive line a few times, but the final ball lacked, and Cajsa Andersson in Linköping’s goal wasn’t challenged much in the opening stages of the game.

While Rosengård had the initiative, it was Linköping who got the first big chance of the game. A pass found a wide open Kristine Minde, but the Norwegian forward couldn’t get enough power behind her shot, and Rosengård's goalkeeper Zecira Musovic saved the one on one chance.

Neither team really threatened the opposition keeper much, but Rosengård continued to be the side in control. However, while there was no clear chances, both teams did manage to set-up a few chances that just lacked that final touch for it to be dangerous.

At the end of the half Linköping once again failed to play the ball out of their own defence, this time thanks to the excellent pressuring by Marta, who found Lotta Schelin. Schelin took a touch to get in before the Linköping defender, and calmly put it in behind Andersson in Linköping's goal. 1-0 to Rosengård right before the half time whistle.

Marta was one of the real highlights of this game. Source: Bilbyrån
Marta was one of the real highlights of this game. Source: Bilbyrån

Rosengård pull clear to secure clear

Second half had barely begun before Marta cleverly found Lieke Martens at the back post, and the Dutch winger made no mistake with it. 2-0 to Rosengård just after the start of the second half and a real kick in the gut for Linköping. Second half followed the same script as the first, and Rosengård was firmly in control.

Around the 60-minute mark, and after Asante, who had been everywhere in midfield, had to be moved to defence, it seemed like Linköping got more control of the game. Their midfield had a bit more room and they started pressuring Rosengård's defence.

In the 67th the pressure paid off when Harder cleverly played it out to Jonna Andersson on the wing. Andersson has delivered the most assist in the league this year, and also this time did her cross find the head of a teammate. Stina Blackstenius headed the ball in behind Musovic.

This new found hope did not last long for Linköping. On the following attack Ella Masar-Mcleod hit the woodwork for Rosengård, and shortly thereafter Marta, who was the best player on the park today, got the ball at the edge of the Linköping area, and after turning Andersson inside out, she placed the ball into the long corner from distance.

3-1 to Rosengård and the game seemed over. After this, the match slowed down a little, and while Linköping had few spurges of trying to overcome the two goal deficit, they seemed beaten.

In the end it finished 3-1, and Rosengård could take their first cup win since 1987. Linköping had won the cup the past two years, and while they will be disappointed, they have to quickly move on, as the two combatants today are also in a close fight for the league title. 

VAVEL Logo
About the author