There was just one side from a lower tier that progressed in the Svenska Cupen fourth round, as the favourites justified their pre-match tag.

Linköping make good progress

The round kicked off with the reigning Swedish Champions, and last year’s cup finalists, Linköpings FC paying a visit to Elitettan side, Växjö DFF. Växjö finished in third place in last season’s Elitettan, just shy of the two spots that guarantee promotion, and is considered one of the primary challengers for promotion this year.

So it was by no means an easy ride for Linköping, and the first half showed as much. However, the second half outlined the difference between the two sides when goals from Marija Banušić, Lina Hurtig, captain Magdalena Eriksson and Kristine Minde sealed a 4-0 victory.

Damallsvenskan sides Kristianstads DFF, Vittsjö GIK and Kvarnsvedens IK also had opponents from Elitettan, when they played against Kungsbacka DFF, Mallbackens IF Sunne and Östersunds DFF respectively. Kristianstad needed time to get into the match, but with two quick goals at the end of the first half from first Tine Schryvers, who is a newly acquired Belgian international, and Amanda Edgren meant the prematch favourites went into the half with a 2-0 lead. In the second half, Alice Nilsson scored to make it 3-0, which was also the result at the final whistle.

Vittsjö were up against Mallbacken, who got relegated prior to this season. Vittsjö were without a few starters, while Mallbacken had to replace almost all of their starting eleven. Mallbacken, however, needed little time to take the lead, when former Vittsjö player Nkem Ezurike calmly chipped' keeper Shannon Lynn.

Elin Nyman, who is one of the few players who stayed after Mallbacken got relegated, extended the lead in the second half. Vittsjö did get on the scoresheet when Rachel Mercik scored a superb goal, but it wasn’t enough and Mallbacken advanced to the quarterfinals on the back of a 2-1 win.

In the last Damallsvenskan versus Elitettan clash, Kvarnsveden proved too strong for Östersund when the Damallsvenskan team won 5-0. Armisa Kuč, who joined Kvarnsveden this offseason, got off to the perfect start with two goals. The other three goals were scored by Elizabeth Addo (penalty), Denise Sundberg and Julia Roddar.

Damallsvenskann sides make like work of Division 1 teams

Elsewhere another Damallsvenskan side, Djurgården IF, made short process of it when they visited third-tier side Bollstanäs SK. Finnish international Annika Kukkonen got on the scoresheet for Djurgården after just four minutes and 90 minutes later it was 12-1 to Djurgården, who advance to the next round. The other Djurgården goals were scored by Madeleine Stegius (4), Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, Katrin Schmidt (3), Mia Jalkerud (2), Alexandra Höglund while Wilma Engstrand got the lone Bollstanäs goal.

Djurgården were not the only Damallsvenskan team to face off against a Division 1 side, since KIF Örebro travelled to Gamla Upsala SK (GUSK). GUSK put up a brave fight, but KIF were dominant from start to finished, and in the end came away with a comfortable 4-0 victory. Despite dominating, KIF had to wait until the second half to get on the scoresheet, but second half goals from Fanny Andersson, Lisa Dahlkvist and Emma Lindén (2), who scored her first of two less than a minute after getting subbed on, ensured the victory.

Entertaining all top-tier clashes

Lastly, there were two clashes between Damallsvenskan teams as FC Rosengård hosted Kopparsberg/Göteborg FC and Eskilstuna United travelled to the north of Sweden to face Piteå IF. Rosengård won the competition last year, and after a very dominant display, they earned a 5-0 victory over Göteborg. In the 12th minute prolific goalscorer Lotta Schelin popped up to give the home side a 1-0 lead, while Ella Masar-Mcleod scored twice to make it 2-0 and 3-0.

Schelin scored again to make it 4-0 at the break. The second half wasn’t as free flowing from Rosengård, and they had to wait until the 67th minute before newly acquired Danish international, Sanne Troelsgaard bagged her first goal for the club to make it 5-0.

On paper, Piteå-Eskilstuna was this round's most interesting clash, and it delivered. Eskilstuna have not beaten Piteå in their last five encounters, but they were off to a good start when Olivia Schough scored the first goal of the game. The lead lasted up until the 92nd minute when Julia Karlenäs, who just joined Piteå, equalised.

There were no goals in extra time and the game had to go all the way to penalties. Piteå’s goalkeeper Hilda Carlén came up big and saved three penalties, which ensured Piteå a 4-3 (3-2) win. This is the second time Piteå knocked out Eskilstuna after penalties, as they did the same in the 2015 edition of the cup.

Quarter-final draw, ties to be play on 18/19 March

Kvarnsvedens vs Kristianstad

Linköping vs Örebro

Piteå vs Rosengård

Mallbackens vs Djurgårdens

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