Aussies in Nordic Football – Season 2020 Wrap 5

With up to ten Australians competing in top level domestic Nordic competitions in 2020, Beyond 90 will be keeping readers up to date with how our players and the teams they are playing in are faring.

In news this week, Emily Gielnik plays her first games for her Swedish team, including a significant role in a comeback victory; Indiah-Paige Riley is announced as the first Aussie to take part in the Danish 2020 league that commences this week; while Karly Roestbakken and team celebrate a remarkable turnaround in their Norwegian league fixture.

Teagan Micah‘s Arna-Bjørnar kicked off Aussie involvement in Round 5 of the Toppserien in their home game against possible title contenders Vålerenga. A close-range toe poke goal from Cameroon’s Ajara Nchout opened the away team’s account early and a second was gifted to Nchout in the second half due to a defensive mix-up.

Dane Rikke Madsen finished with composure for a third and final goal for Vålerenga in the 89th minute, capitalising on a superb diagonal cross-field ball from Dutch international midfielder Sherida Spitse. There was little Micah could do about the goals and in between she did her work well, preventing at least two other significant chances from the away side.

https://twitter.com/Kvinnefotball1/status/1289563057543213059

Lyn, who sit in the bottom three in the ladder and were coming off their first win against Kolbotn, scared Karly Roestbakken‘s ladder leaders LSK Kvinner at home, scoring two minutes before half time and then again in the 8th minute of the second half due to a LSK midfield turnover in their own half, punished by an outstanding shot from outside the box.

The Lillestrøm outfit looked ineffective compared to their last two outings up until the hour mark, when they formed a huddle after Lyn’s second goal, and resumed with renewed purpose. Captain Emilie Haavi – LSK’s best player of the campaign to date – sparked a LSK comeback with 15 minutes to go, skirting across the top of the box and chipping sublimely for Swede Mimmi Lofwenius on the byline, who centred to Belgian midfielder Justine Vanhaevermaet for a tap-in.

The equalizer for LSK remarkably came from the kickoff, with Lyn’s central midfielder stumbling over the ball that was played back to her. LSK forward Sophie Haug pounced and hit a speculator from 30 yards that bounced awkwardly in front of Lyn’s keeper and into the net. Haavi completed the comeback inside the last five minutes with the action end-to-end at this point, curling a low shot into the bottom left of the net.

https://twitter.com/Beyond90AU/status/1289748877797539840

Hearkening back to her role as captain with the Young Matildas in Thailand in 2019 and yet again demonstrating her versatility, Roestbakken played an assured full match in central defence (her fourth role in the team to date) alongside Norwegian national team player Ina Gausdal in an outing distinguished by her decision making and accuracy.

The Matildas official site posted an article on Roestbakken this week, where she outlines her thoughts on how the Toppserien experience is improving herself and her game – highly recommended.

Nikola Orgill‘s Kolbotn were once again without Orgill – who made mention on Instagram of making use of crutches (curiously while out and about on a scooter, so perhaps she is on the road to recovery) – but picked up their first win 2-1 at home against bottom side RØA.

Aussie involvement in Round 5 finished with Clare Polkinghorne and Katrina Gorry‘s  Avaldsnes disappointingly losing 3-1 at home against mid-table rivals Sandviken. American Robyn Decker had an interesting start to the game for the home side, scoring in the 3rd minute and then conceding an own goal 15 minutes later. It was physical in the middle of the park and Gorry did not shy away from the contest, but she was fortunate to have not conceded a penalty for handball in the second half. Both she and Polkinghorne played the full game, and their team will be keenly awaiting the return of Elise Thorsnes from her three match suspension to add attacking bite.

Round 5 results
(teams with Australian players in the squad are shown in bold)

It was an encouraging first week in Vittsjö GIK colours for Emily Gielnik in the Swedish Damallsvenskan, first coming on as a 90th minute substitute for a Round 7 4-2 home win over Uppsala. She then backed this up a few days later, joining the fray with 18 minutes to go in their away game against Örebro, and sparking the team to a thrilling Round 8 1-2 victory.

Vittsjö were 1-0 down when Gielnik sent in a trademark cross from the right wing in the 79th minute for Clara Markstedt to score, and the winner came in the 90th minute via Nellie Persson. The result lifts Vittsjö off the bottom of the ladder, and highlights of the game can be viewed here.

Matilda and Kristianstads player Elise Kellond-Knight had surgery this week on her knee, giving the thumbs up afterwards.

https://twitter.com/elise_kk8/status/1290220283568074752

Round 8 results

There were no games in the Urvalsdeild Kvenna last weekend due to the Icelandic Tradespersons’ Day holiday ! Midweek games were also postponed.

Round 8 results (now complete)

With the exciting news of an Aussie joining the Danish competition that kicks off on August 8th, this wrap will be following Indiah-Paige Riley and her new team Fortuna Hjørring.

https://twitter.com/Beyond90AU/status/1290067997705478144

Here’s an article titled ‘Aggressive Australian in Fortuna squad’ by the club on Indiah joining them (translate add-on recommended).

Follow all our coverage of Aussies and Ferns Abroad here.