Four Nordic countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland) are hosting Aussie players this year, and with the summer break over for three out of the four leagues, read on to see how they fared during the past week!
The Toppserien has returned, and with just four rounds left before playoffs, the stakes are high.
The big news out of the blocks is that Matilda Tameka Yallop has moved over from FAWSL side West Ham United to front runners and current champions Brann Kvinner (Sandviken were 2021 champions, rebranding – or is that re-Brannding 😛 – between seasons). Signing on until mid-2023 with an option to extend, Yallop has a long association with Brann’s acting coach Olli Harder. Kiwi national Harder has worked with Yallop at West Ham and Klepp previously.
🏴 ➡️ 🇳🇴@Tameka_Yallop has signed with Toppserien ladder-leaders @skbrannkvinner, making her debut this morning in their 6-0 win! #WeAreMatildas #MatildasAbroad
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) August 4, 2022
No sooner was the announcement out than Yallop was off the bench in the only midweek game prior to the full round. Brann dispatched 8th-placed Arna-Bjørnar 6-0, with Yallop entering the game in the 72nd minute.
Yallop didn’t take long to earn a starting role and she scored Brann’s opening goal in just the second minute of their Round 15 game against fifth-placed Lyn.
A remarkable first week back for Brann, sitting comfortably in the competition’s driver’s seat and five points clear of Rosenborg.
It was also a busy summer break for LSK Kvinner with four new signings coming into the squad, however Norwegian U19 international Thea Kyvåg left for West Ham United, while playmaker Camilla Linberg and defender Malin Brenn also departed. As Fiona Worts was unavailable on the weekend and Karly Roestbakken is still rehabbing after surgery, it’s understandable that a level of uncertainty was in place for their away game against Ally Green‘s third-placed Vålerenga.
While the home side started the stronger, LSK took the lead in the first half hour. This seemed to rob Vålerenga of their confidence and ability to break their opponent down for much of the game.
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Green joined the game for the last 20 minutes as her team slowly regained their mojo and sense of urgency. Competition top scorer Elise Thorsnes was to fire home a penalty deep into added time, nabbing a last-gasp draw for Vålerenga. Thorsnes stated after the game that her team played as if they were still on vacation, while there are promising signs for the changed LSK playing group.
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Round 16 of the Damallsvenskan doesn’t resume from summer break until this coming weekend but there is still some significant Aussie news to whet your appetite, as teams prepare by playing friendlies.
First off, some big news with Emma Checker joining 12th placed Umeå IK:
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Charli Grant is also on the move – after signing a two-year extension with FC Rosengård, the flying fullback was loaned to Vittsjö GIK for the rest of the campaign, where of course she will link up with Katrina Gorry and Clare Polkinghorne.
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Perhaps the best news however comes from Hammarby:
>760 days but we did it. #nevergiveup pic.twitter.com/dHGjKhZAG2
— Elise Kellond-Knight (@elise_kk8) August 10, 2022
Rather than post results for training games and friendlies, here are a couple of snippets from Aussies based in Sweden. (Your regular format will return along with competition games next week).
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Ladder
Two full rounds – 11 and 12 of 18 – have been played within five days since the Úrvalsdeild resumed after the summer break.
Gema Simon‘s Thróttur Reykjavík was a perfect two from two in those five days, first defeating Afturelding 2-0 away, then putting three past Selfoss. Simon started and completed both matches, and the results see Thróttur up to fourth place.
Neither Susan Phonsongkham nor Margaux Chauvet was on the match card for KR Reykjavik‘s 2-1 home loss against Stjarnan. However, Chauvet was on hand for their 3-1 away loss to IBV, playing 77 minutes and picking up a yellow card at the end of the first half. KR remains at the foot of the ladder after these two losses.
Chauvet posted an Instagram story showing a field recognisable to long-time readers of this wrap:
Second-placed Breiðablik enjoyed a 3-0 home win against Keflavik, but could only manage a 2-2 away draw to third-placed Stjarnan. Melina Ayres was not available for either team list.
Finally, a recent announcement about an Aussie joining the Icelandic second tier. Team lineup details typically aren’t available for 1.Deild so it will be difficult to follow Claudia Valletta‘s progress. Tindastóll is currently third in the competition – we wish them and Valletta well.
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Results
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The 2022-23 Elitedivisionen season commenced on August 7th and although our Danish contingent lost one centre back after Jenna McCormick left AGF Aarhus, the club swiftly moved to sign another South Australian defender.
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Matilda McNamara played a full game on her debut as AGF drew 1-1 at home to KoldingQ. She clearly caught the eye of the official Elitedivisionen account, who named her in their Team Of The Week! McNamara also started in AGF’s 4-1 midweek cup win over second tier side Vildbjerg, playing 64 minutes.
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There was another Aussie debut on the weekend – Winonah Heatley played the full 90 minutes for FC Nordsjaelland in their season opener. However, the Tigers will have to wait until at least the next outing for their first competition points after a 3-1 home defeat to Thy ThistedQ.
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There was better news for the ANZAC trio at Fortuna Hjørring, as last season’s silver medallists (league runners-up) and Cup winners defeated Sundby 2-1 on their travels. Indiah-Paige Riley and Angie Beard saw plenty of game time (90 and 86 minutes respectively), although 2021-22 Fortuna Player of the Year Clare Wheeler was not in the squad.
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Results
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Follow all our coverage of Aussies and Ferns Abroad here, and Aussies in Nordic football here.
