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.
All incomplete Nordic leagues have now resumed full competition following the international break. Read on to see how our Aussies fared!
The Toppserien returned this week with Round 14 of 18 on show.
A significant seven day period awaited Karly Roestbakken‘s LSK Kvinner. First up was an away Toppserien game against fourth-placed Vålerenga. LSK were two points behind second-placed Rosenborg with four games to go, and as the top two in the league qualify for the Champions League this match was vital for both sides.
It was not to be for either Roestbakken – who is not quite match ready – or her team. After several LSK half chances, Vålerenga took the lead in the first half and looked the more threatening of the two teams until the final twenty minutes, when the game exploded into life. No doubt realising the importance of a result, the LSK attack went up a gear and they equalised with 12 minutes remaining thanks to a run by their captain Emilie Haavi between three Vålerenga defenders to the byline. Her poked ball into the six-yard box struck striker Mimmi Löfwenius and deflected into the goal.
LSK’s excitement spurred them on towards a possible win but events took a sour turn with just two minutes left on the clock when a defensive blunder gifted the home team a 2-1 victory.
The Lillestrøm side will need to put the loss behind them as this coming weekend they contest an NM Cup semi-final against ladder leaders Sandviken – another game that will have a major bearing on whether or not LSK Kvinner achieve honours in 2021.
Nikola Orgill‘s Klepp sits at the foot of the Toppserien ladder in the automatic relegation position after a 3-1 away loss to fifth-placed Arna-Bjørnar. Orgill remains in Oslo and is still working her way back into fitness after leaving the field in Round 8, on the 10th of July.
Klepp’s next game is a midweek Round 13 catchup away fixture against fellow cellar-dwellers Stabæk.
Round 14 results
Round 15 games
Ladder
Another busy week is on the cards for Swedish Damallsvenskan sides as weekend games bookend midweek Svenska Cup action. All top flight teams are scheduled to play away to Tier 2 opponents in their third round Cup games.
With Round 17 of 22 having been contested on the weekend, teams don’t have long to make a move either towards the summit or away from the foot of the ladder.
Last weekend ladder leaders FC Rosengård dropped points against Kristianstads in a 1-1 home draw, a result which leaves Rosengård still comfortably on top by six points, but which allows Kristianstads to leapfrog Elise Kellond-Knight‘s Hammarby IF into 4th place.
Teagan Micah played a full game in goals but Charli Grant was not to emerge from the bench onto the pitch.
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Rosengård’s midweek Cup game is away to second tier Borgeby FK.
Second-placed BK Häcken‘s weekend game also saw them surprisingly drop points against cellar-dwellers Växjö DFF, drawing 1-1 away. Häcken lacked fluency as Växjö defended stoically in their best performance of the season.
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Neither Dylan Holmes for Häcken nor Winona Heatley for Växjö was called upon off the bench for this one.
Häcken were able to reassert their authority in their 0-6 midweek Cup win against Goteborgs DFF. This was a game to remember for Holmes, scoring twice in a rare full match appearance.
Back in the league, Häcken face ladder leaders Rosengård this coming weekend, and their Champions League game against Olympique Lyonnais is looming next week as well.
In recovering from recent surgery, Elise Kellond-Knight did not take part in Hammarby’s 2-1 away loss to Djurgårdens IF last weekend, a result that sees them fall to 5th place on the ladder.
Hammarby went up against Sätra SK in the Cup, winning 3-0.
This weekend, Hammarby are at home against 10th placed Piteå IF, and will be looking for a win to reinstate them in the top four.
Clare Polkinghorne played 90 minutes for Vittsjö GIK in their 1-1 away draw to Piteå IF, a result which leaves them in seventh on goal difference.
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Their midweek Cup game was away against second tier Jitex BK, a game which saw Vittsjö knocked out of the Cup with a shock 2-1 loss.
Vittsjö’s league game this weekend will be a spicy affair with their opponents being Linköpings FC, the team with whom they share 22 points on the ladder.
Round 17 results
Round 18 games
Ladder
At the halfway point of the Danish Elitedivisionen season (Round 7 of 14), Jenna McCormick played 90 minutes for AGF on the weekend as they went down 3-1 away to Nordsjælland. With the flipping of the rounds however, McCormick and co. only have a matter of days before another test against the same opponents, this time at home.
As has become Fortuna Hjørring‘s custom, Angie Beard and Clare Wheeler both started in their top of the table home clash against HB Køge, a hard-fought contest that finished at two goals apiece. Fortuna remains second on the ladder after this result.
Indiah-Paige Riley once again came on for just over 30 minutes, and Alex Huynh was an unused substitute.
There are mere days before the teams meet again, this time at Køge’s home ground, in a fortnight that is likely to have a major bearing on season honours.
Round 7 results
Round 8 games
Ladder
The Úrvalsdeild Kvenna 2021 season is over!
Urvalsdeild Ladder
1.deild Ladder
Follow all our coverage of Aussies and Ferns Abroad here, and Aussies in Nordic football here.
