Hásteinsvöllur in Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland, home ground of IBV. Graphic: Michael Alesich

The Nordic countries (Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Finland) have long been a viable destination for Aussie footballers, and 2021 looks to be no different with over a dozen players choosing the Nordic countries as their playground.

Read on for how our Aussies fared in the Nordic leagues this past week, with some earning Matildas selection for the upcoming game against the Republic of Ireland!

Round 13 of the 2021 Toppserien season was played on the weekend and there are only five rounds left for the pack chasing the top four to make an impression on the competition.

Third-placed LSK Kvinner took on fifth-placed Kolbotn at home and it was an entertaining affair, with both teams scoring some cracking goals as the Lillestrøm side won 5-2.

Although Karly Roestbakken was listed as a substitute on social media, it transpires that this was not the case. The good news is that Roestbakken is in full training with the squad and is no doubt hopeful of appearing when the Toppserien resumes on September 25th. In the meantime, she will join the opening days of the Matildas camp for the Republic of Ireland game to undergo assessment from Football Australia’s Sports Science and Sports Medicine team.

LSK Kvinner players Cathrine Dahlström, Andrea Wilmann and Karly Roestbakken at Coop Prix Girls Day 2021, where girls from local junior clubs get to meet and train with some of their LSK idols before attending a game. Photo: lsk-kvinner.no

Nikola Orgill‘s Klepp was scheduled to play Stabæk on the weekend but the game was postponed due to a Covid scare. The team has a midweek NM Cup game at home to look forward to against second-tier side Amazon Grimstad, which was itself recently postponed.

Round 13 results

Round 14 games

Ladder

 

Midweek Champions League fixtures made juggling personnel an interesting exercise for some teams playing Round 15 of the Swedish Damallsvenskan competition last weekend.

Last week, ladder leaders FC Rosengård had a challenging Champions League home leg to negotiate against German side 1899 Hoffenheim, going down 0-3. Teagan Micah played a full game in goals, while Charli Grant was an unused substitute.

On the weekend, Grant was the social media poster child for the Damallsvenskan home game against AIK and played 67 minutes, her most so far in a Swedish league game. The result was the same as their midweek outing, but this time in their favour. Micah was once again on hand between the sticks. Grant’s big week only got better with the news that both she and Micah had been selected in the Matildas squad for the upcoming game against the Republic of Ireland. 

Unfortunately, this week Rosengård were eliminated from the Champions League after drawing 3-3 in the second leg of their qualifier against Hoffenheim, losing 3-6 on aggregate. Micah played a full game and Grant was a 79th minute substitute. Rosengård will look to bounce back when they play away at Hammarby IF on the weekend.

It was an equally demanding but more satisfying week for second-placed BK Häcken. First up was a midweek Champions League 1-3 away victory against Norwegian champs Vålerenga, where Dylan Holmes looked on from the bench. They followed that up just two days later with an away 0-1 win against Piteå IF, with Holmes on the park for the final seven minutes.

This week, BK Häcken maintained their winning streak and sealed their place in the Champions League group stage after defeating Vålerenga 3-2 in the second leg of their Round 2 qualifier (6-3 on aggregate). Holmes entered play in the 79th minute. BK Häcken’s next Damallsvenskan game is at home to KIF Örebro DFF.

Video still of Dylan Holmes from the BK Häcken official Instagram account

Elise Kellond-Knight once again wasn’t on the match card for Hammarby’s 1-2 away win over fifth-placed Kristianstads (see below for footage shared by the Hammarby club), but like Roestbakken will join the opening days of the Matildas camp for the Republic of Ireland game to undergo assessment from Football Australia’s Sports Science and Sports Medicine team.

The win keeps Hammarby in fourth place as they look forward to a big game against ladder leaders Rosengård this weekend.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Hammarby Fotboll (@hammarbyfotboll)

Vittsjö GIK farewelled Emily Gielnik in the last week as she departed for FA WSL side Aston Villa, so it was timely that Clare Polkinghorne returned to action in her first game since the Olympics. Both have also been selected in the Matildas squad to play the Republic of Ireland.

Vittsjö pulled off a hard-fought 1-0 home win against third-placed Eskilstuna United, a result which lifts them back into sixth place. Polkinghorne played a full game in her return match. The club’s next game is away to eighth-placed Djurgårdens IF this weekend.

After several full games, Winonah Heatley was on the bench for Växjö DFF and watched as her team lost 0-1 at home against ninth-placed KIF Örebro DFF. Her smile would soon return however with the news of her first-ever inclusion in a Matildas squad, for the game coming up against the Republic of Ireland.

Photo: @winiheatleyy (Instagram)

Växjö next plays Eskilstuna United on the weekend.

Round 15 results

Round 16 games

Ladder

 

Úrvalsdeild karla (

Round 17 (the second last round) of the Úrvalsdeild Kvenna was played on the weekend. For Emma Checker and fourth-placed UMF Selfoss it was also their final home game of the season.

Things didn’t go to plan as Selfoss suffered a surprise 1-3 home loss against then bottom side Tindastoll. Checker once again captained the side and played 90 minutes.

Selfoss are in the top four, but their prospects for remaining so are precarious with their last game of the season away to ladder leaders Valur Reykjavik. Regardless of how things go in the next week, Checker can look forward to a return to the national team squad with her selection for the game against the Republic of Ireland.

Photo: @emmachecker (Instagram)

In the 1.dield first division, Aideen Keane sat out KR Reykjavik‘s 2-0 home win vs Haukar FC due to suspension. The result guaranteed KR’s place in the top Icelandic league (the Urvalsdeild) in 2022. Their last game of the season is on the weekend is against eighth-placed Grótta.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Aideen Keane (@aideen.keane)

Urvalsdeild Round 17 results and Round 18 games

Urvalsdeild Ladder 

1.deild Round 17 results

1.deild Round 18 games

 1.deild Ladder

 

In the Danish Elitedivisionen, Jenna McCormick played 90 minutes for AGF on the weekend as they lost 0-2 at home in their Round 5 game against undefeated HB Køge. AGF retain fifth place despite the result.

McCormick is also excited to be back in the Matildas frame, having been selected in the squad for the game against the Republic of Ireland. She spoke to Beyond 90’s Marissa Lordanic recently about her move to AGF in an article for the official Matildas account.

AGF’s next game is an away fixture against bottom side AaB (Aalborg).

It’s safe to say that Danish football agrees with Angie Beard. Not only was she named in the league’s Team of the Round last week, but her consistency has also seen her selected in the league’s Team of the Month for August.

That’s not all … Beard has also been selected in a Matildas squad for the first time!

Beard and Clare Wheeler both started for Fortuna Hjørring as they were held 0-0 away to KoldingQ. Indiah-Paige Riley came on for the last half-hour, while Alex Huynh was an unused substitute. Highlights show that the game was one-way traffic and the away side was desperately unlucky not to come away with the points.

 

Fortuna remains undefeated but is now outright second on the ladder, as they look towards another away game this weekend against third-placed Brøndby IF. Fortuna presently holds a three-point lead over Brøndby.

Round 5 results

Round 6 games

Ladder 


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

Steffen Moebus
Steffen Moebus
Steffen is a life-long Canberra resident and enjoys covering football in and around his home town, as well as Aussies participating in the Nordic leagues (Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Denmark).
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