Aussies in Nordic Football – Season 2020 Wrap 8

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.

The weekend featured Emily Gielnik once again doing the business for Vittsjö GIK in Sweden, hitting the winner in their Round 11 game. The Danish Elitedivisionen witnessed Indiah-Paige Riley‘s first appearance for Fortuna Hjørring, while in the Norwegian Toppserien Katrina Gorry scored her first goal for Avaldsnes as they drew with third placed Rosenborg.

Round 8 of the Toppserien commenced with Kolbotn at home against Arna-Bjørnar, which proved to be a game of ebbs and flows.

In windy conditions, the away side looked more threatening in the first 20 minutes but Kolbotn worked their way into the game. Returning to action after injury, Nikola Orgill had a major hand in the first goal. She found space to the right of the Arna-Björnar box on 33 minutes and centered the ball near the penalty spot where it was smashed home by Johanne Fridlund, giving Teagan Micah no chance.

Rain accompanied the wind in the second half as Arna-Björnar struck back in the 56th minute via Katarina Sunde, who rolled a shot in from outside the box with her left peg after an initial airswing.

With 20 minutes to go Kolbotn hit the lead after the Arna-Björnar right back unfortunately tripped up on the ball, allowing the winger to centre to two unmarked Kolbotn attackers, where the ball was easily slotted once again by Fridlund. Going behind spurred the away side on and they rose to the occasion, coming away with an invaluable 3-2 away victory in the last minute of the game. They first equalised in the 81st minute via Sunde, then as they pushed forward with numbers a well directed ball from left midfield found the head of striker Pia Rijsdijk, who made no mistake at close range.

Kolbotn will be glad to have Orgill back and she played a fine 79 minutes. Meanwhile, Micah put in a controlled display where she could do nothing about the two conceded goals. The result sees Arna-Björnar hit mid-table, while Kolbotn are now sitting in the bottom three. Arna-Björnar tackle Sandviken in a midweek Round 9 game.

Short highlights of this game are available below:

Karly Roestbakken‘s LSK Kvinner suffered their second successive loss, going down 3-1 at home to ladder leaders Vålerenga, with Roestbakken once again playing a full game at centre back. The result still leaves the Lillestrom side in equal second place on the ladder alongside Rosenborg and Sandviken.

Sherida Spitse and Dejana Stefanovic were influential for the winning side, while the hosts again found it difficult to put their chances away and make the most of the ball in the attacking third.

LSK striker Mimmi Lowenius played a physical game in the first 25 minutes, trying to unsettle the Vålerenga defence. Once Vålerenga weathered this period they were able to score in a goalmouth skirmish from a Spitse corner on the half hour, and again on the stroke of half time as Stefanovic drove a half volley from outside the area into the bottom left corner.

With 20 minutes to go the LSK defence were caught out by an Ingibjörg Sigurdardottir long ball over the top from deep within the Vålerenga half, as Dane Rikke Madsen ran onto the ball and placed her volley nicely for Vålerenga’s third.

A consolation goal in the last minute of stoppage time was fashioned by LSK captain Emilie Haavi as she placed a well weighted ball for a flick-on header into the net by Sophie Haug.

LSK Kvinner will be looking to bounce back midweek when they take on Orgill’s Kolbotn.

Elise Thorsnes set up Katrina Gorry for an important Avaldsnes 1-1 equaliser – and Gorry’s first goal for Avaldsnes – in their home game against third placed Rosenborg.

Julie Blakstad got the visitors away for an early seventh minute goal, dancing around a couple of defenders on the edge of the box before putting away a low shot in the right corner of the net. Thorsnes and Gorry then combined in the box just before the hour mark, with Gorry putting the ball away under defensive duress to even up the game. Clare Polkinghorne played a full game for Avaldsnes, while Gorry was subbed out in the 88th minute.

The result sees Avaldsnes climb to outright fifth on the ladder, with a midweek fixture against Klepp coming up.

Round 8 results
(teams with Australian players in the squad are shown in bold)

Emily Gielnik left foot volleyed the winner in the 89th minute for Vittsjö GIK against Eskilstuna United as they won their Round 12 game 3-2 at home. The winning goal came after a moment of madness from an Eskilstuna midfielder, who received a red card for a late and poorly judged tackle. From the free kick the ball was headed in the box to Gielnik, who tucked the winner away nicely from six yards out.

https://twitter.com/Beyond90AU/status/1297739598907367426

Round 12 results

In Icelandic Round 11 action, Thróttur Reykjavik went down 3-1 away to second placed Valur with Laura Hughes playing the full game, while the KR Reykjavik game against Fylkir was postponed, as was their midweek game vs UMF Selfoss.

https://twitter.com/Beyond90AU/status/1298199048738897922

Angie Beard may not have played this round, but footage of her fine defending efforts in her last game has been made available:

Angie Beard was immense in defence for KR earning her spot in the https://t.co/ZTv4IV8UU8 team of the week as she continues to build a strong case for a call up to the Australian Matildas #soccer #football #womensfootball #womenssoccer #iceland #krreykjavik #matildas pic.twitter.com/Fj05rjWU7A

— FNX Network Sports (@FNXsports) August 25, 2020

Round 11 results

In a late midweek game in Denmark last week, Fortuna Hjörring beat AaB at home 4-0 with Indiah-Paige Riley not on the Fortuna team sheet.

Indi was to make her debut in Round 4, playing 57 minutes as the team went down 2-1 away to Brøndby IF.

Almost scoring on debut, Indiah Riley contributed all over the park for Fortuna Hjørring, the start of her journey towards the @UWCL and @FIFAWWC @AsOne2023 pic.twitter.com/QMAkHdGVkl

— FNX Network Sports (@FNXsports) August 24, 2020

Round 4 results

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