Aussies in Nordic Football – Season 2020 Wrap 13

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.

Katrina Gorry‘s piledriver goal for Avaldsnes in their 2-1 win led the Aussie vanguard in Nordic competitions last weekend. 

Aussie involvement in Round 14 of the Toppserien kicked off with Karly Roestbakken playing 79 minutes for LSK Kvinner in their surprising 0-1 loss away to Arna-Bjørnar, who are now seemingly without the services of Teagan Micah for a time.

The loss had little to do with the efforts of Roestbakken, who seemed revitalised at the chance of playing at right back again, overlapping at every opportunity and still always somehow getting back for defensive duties.

It was one of those games where LSK had all the chances (especially in the first half) but couldn’t put them away. Arna-Bjørnar’s goal had a touch of the bizarre: LSK keeper Ida Nordström received the ball on the deck and looked to clear upfield, but Arna-Bjørnar striker Meryll Abrahamsen got a speculative leg up and blocked the clearance, with the ball rebounding into the LSK goal.

Both Clare Polkinghorne and Katrina Gorry played a full game for Avaldsnes in their 2-1 win at home over Kolbotn. Gorry was on fire with her great shooting technique from outside the Kolbotn box in the first half, teeing up a practice shot first that went just over the bar, and then belting Avaldsnes’ first goal into the top right of the net on 37′.

https://twitter.com/AnnOdong/status/1313010563648118784

Kolbotn’s Cecelia Kizer impressively equalised just on half time, flashing by Polkinghorne and two other defenders before tucking away a neat finish.

Nikola Orgill came on as a Kolbotn sub in the 52nd minute, but could only watch on from right back as unattended Avaldsnes captain Elise Thorsnes headed the winner on 65 minutes on the end of a cross from the left touchline to give them the 2-1 win.

There are 18 rounds to this season, with just four rounds to go before a Premier is crowned. All teams in the top four – including LSK Kvinner and Avaldsnes – conceivably have a shot at the title at this point. 

Round 14 results

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

Ladder

Round 17 saw a second successive game where Vittsjö GIK struggled to put their chances away. Emily Gielnik played out the full 90 minutes in her team’s scoreless draw with bottom three side Piteå IF. Piteå did not have a single shot on goal in the entire match, while Vittsjö had four.

There are five rounds of the 2020 Damallsvenskan remaining.

Round 17 results

Our two Aussies matched up against each other in the Round 16 meeting between home team Thróttur Reykjavik, and KR Reykjavik. The home ground advantage proved to be significant as Thróttur romped to a four goal half-time lead, and scored another in the second half to take the game 5-0.

Thróttur and Canberra United midfielder Laura Hughes picked up a yellow card at the 54 minute mark and was subbed out five minutes later. Angie Beard played a full game for KR.

The win lifts Thróttur to fifth on goal difference, with just two rounds of the regular season left to play.

Round 16 results

In Round 9 of a 14 round season of the Elitedivisionen in Denmark, Indiah-Paige Riley‘s Fortuna Hjørring drew 2-all with Thy – Thistedq. Indi started and played 70 minutes as Fortuna were up 2-0 with three minutes to go but disappointingly conceded two quick goals at the death.

Hannah Bacon, meanwhile, was an unused substitute as her AGF Aarhus team lost 0-1 at home against FC Nordsjælland. Highlights can be found here.

Round 9 results

Follow all our coverage of Aussies and Ferns Abroad here, and Aussies in Nordic football here.