Week 15 in Damallsvenskan saw an odd trend of the teams who played on the Saturday all winning by one goal and those who played on the Sunday forced to settle for a draw.
Kristianstad 3-2 KIF Örebro
Michelle De Jongh opened her account for the season with a fine effort from the right side of the box that whipped past Brett Maron and into the far side of the netting. Therese Ivarsson struck late in the first-half to restore parity when the ball bounced around the box at a corner, the defender first to get a firm foot on it and blast it home.
Having a season to forget, nothing seemed to be going right for Örebro especially on the hour when the ball cannoned off of the woodwork before refusing to go in, a melee in the box enough to see the scores unchanged. Much like their first goal, KDFF’s second came at a scrappy corner, both teams getting stuck in to win the ball but Sif Atladóttir the victor, throwing a foot at it to get the better of Carola Söberg. When Frida Svensson was first to react in the box and head home after Lisa Dahlkvist’s dinked free kick had kissed the top of the bar it looked like the pair would be taking a point a piece until Tine Schryvers stole it at the death. The Belgian’s cross-cum-shot in the last minute of normal time saw KIF denied once again, the win taking KDFF to safe ground higher up the table, Örebro still glued to the floor.
Limhamn Bunkeflo 2-1 Kopparbergs/Göteborg
Having wavered since their first meeting in June, LB07 were looking to get back on track as KG continued to desperately search for points, Nellie Lilja’s strong header just after the half hour the boost the hosts needed. Just as they had earlier in the year, Göteborg grabbed a goal back late in the first-half, Beata Kollmats’ flicked header enough to send the ball into the near side of the goal from Elin Rubensson’s free kick.
Anna Welin restored the home advantage early in the second-half with a fine goal that ripped into the far side of the net, leaving Line Johansen with no chance. The win enough to steady the ship for LB, the loss not enough to keep KG out of the drop zone but still signals a step in the right direction.
Hammarby 2-1 Kvarnsveden
Despite a goal just after the break, breaking through the defence and tucking the ball home in a way that fans have become accustomed to, Tabita Chawinga would have been left frustrated after a game that could have seen a hat-trick, her lack of clinical finish enough to cost KIK.
With less chances to their name, Bajen found a late rally to turn the game in their favour, Alexandra Lindberg’s 81st minute header enough to leave Jenny Wahlén rooted. Having just delivered the corner that saw the hosts equalise, Olga Ekblom grabbed her second assist in three minutes with a fine ball over the top for Astrid Larsson to chase onto. Hugging the offside trap, Larsson pulled away from the defence as she drew Wahlén out, her touch enough to slip the ball between keeper and post to give Hammarby all three points and a ladder back out of the drop zone.
Vittsjö 0-0 Piteå
Vittsjö rode out a first-half storm from Piteå, grateful for the poor finishing from the visitors, before getting into the match after the break, their own poor finishing enough to keep the game scoreless.
Rosengård 2-2 Linköping
Billed as the landmark match of the weekend (and possibly the whole season), first took on second as once again, LFC came up short against Rosengård.
With far more of the ball throughout, the hosts were pegged back in the first-half, Kristine Minde’s header from her own rebound the goal that could have ended the title race then and there. A clumsy foul from Jonna Andersson saw FCR gifted a chance to equalise, Caroline Seger wasteful from the spot as the ball slipped the wrong side of Cajsa Andersson’s left-hand post.
When Marija Banušić doubled the advantage 22 seconds into the second-half the game looked to be over, the attacker up to eleven goals for the season, Erin McCleod helpless as Banušić rolled the ball over her. Still seeing the majority of the ball and trying to work the visiting defence, Rosengård finally got their goal when Ella Masar rose well to thump her header past Andersson. Aware of the ticking clock, the goal had reignited the spark under the hosts and pushed them on to find a second two minutes before time, marking slack once more as Glódís Perla Viggósdóttir was given a good run at the ball, her header one that grazed past Andersson.
For Linköping and Kim Björkegren it’s unquestionably two points dropped but having managed not to surrender a third goal, it keeps them four points clear of Rosengård but with seven games still to play the title is still well up for grabs.
Eskilstuna United 1-1 Djurgården
After a shaky start to the season, DIF had been going from strength to strength, looking more and more like a team as the season went on and after a lightning fast start in Eskilstuna did well to hang in after the hosts came back at them.
Mia Jalkerud’s goal 37 seconds after kick-off could have spelled the end of the match, the captain well placed to take advantage of a scrap in the box and fire the ball into the far side of the goal. Having had their own rough patch, Eskilstuna were in no mood to revert to losing ways and settled well into the game, though with little to show for their dominance until after the hour. With almost both teams camped out on the goal-line, neither could either poke the ball home or hoof it clear as everyone frantically stuck a foot at the dead-ball, Fiona Brown the one with the decisive touch as it rolled out to her and the Scottish international picked out a gap between boots.
Both saw goals ruled out for offside in the second-half, one team with more of the ball the other with more purpose when they had it, the draw enough to leave both effectively playing for places.
