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 around eleven players choosing the Nordic countries as their playground.
Read on for how our Aussies fared in the Nordic leagues this past week.
The Toppserien kicks off this weekend on May 22nd.
Lillestrøm based club LSK Kvinner played their third and final practice game last weekend, defeating Kolbotn 0-1 away. Karly Roestbakken was spotted on the sideline during the coverage and gave a thumbs up on her recovery, she has started cycling work. Thanks go to LSK team manager May Gulbrandsen, via Jack Roestbakken, for the photo.
While LSK were due to commence their season this weekend against Lyn, a coronavirus positive test on a player means that the game will have to be postponed.
Nikola Orgill‘s Klepp drew 1-1 with second-tier Amazon Grimstad in their final practice game, with Orgill not yet available to play. Klepp’s opening game of the Toppserien season is against Arna-Bjornar.
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2020 Toppserien goalkeeper of the year Teagan Micah, playing with IL Sandviken in 2021, was featured this week in @NRK_Sport’s ‘most anticipated eleven players in the league’:
The above translates to “A brilliant and exciting young goalkeeper, but still experienced. Micah is good with her legs and a good shot-stopper“.
Sandviken won their final practice game 9-1 against second-tier Asane, and commence their season this weekend against Kolbotn.
Round 5 of the Swedish Damallsvenskan was played on the weekend.
Charli Grant was on the bench for FC Rosengård as they overcame Växjö DFF 0-1 away to retain their place at the top of the league.
Fortsatt serieledning med full pott efter fem omgångar 👊
🔴🔵 #viärFCR pic.twitter.com/ShmFcQcxWJ
— FC Rosengård (@FCRosengard) May 14, 2021
Emily Gielnik scored in the 76th minute before being substituted, and Clare Polkinghorne played 90 minutes for Vittsjö GIK in their 4-0 home win against newly-promoted AIK. The win lifts Vittsjö into fifth place on the ladder.
Having played her first Damallsvenskan minutes with BK Häcken and also won the Svenska Cup in the same week, Dylan Holmes finished off a big ten days with half a game at right back in their 1-4 away win against Djurgårdens IF DFF. The win takes BK Häcken up into third place.
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Round 5 results
Round 6 games
Ladder
Rounds 3 and 4 of the Úrvalsdeild Kvenna were played this week, and Emma Checker played 90 minutes of both encounters (picking up a yellow card in the first).
Both resulted in wins to Checker’s UMF Selfoss, the first a 3-1 home win against Stjarnan, and the second a hard-fought 3-4 away win against Laura Hughes‘ team from last season, Thróttur Reykjavík. Selfoss is now four from four and holding their position at the top of the ladder.
Checker has good reason to be delighted with how her team are coming together in the early rounds of the season:
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Round 3 and 4 results, and Round 5 games
Ladder
The Gjensidige Kvindeligaen decided in late 2020 to commence 2021 football by completing the 2020 Champions and Promotion/Relegation series, before kicking off the 2021 season proper. At the end of the Champions series, the top two teams are eligible for Champions League action later in the year, and at the end of the Promotion/Relegation series, the top two teams are eligible to compete in the 2021 Elitedivisionen.
Round 7 of each ten-game series was played on the weekend.
In the Champions series, Indiah-Paige Riley played almost an hour for Fortuna Hjørring as they let a one-goal lead slip against Brøndby IF, losing 1-2 at home. The results drop Fortuna into fourth place, with Champions League football prospects now only mathematically possible.
🇦🇺 AUSSIE IN DENMARK 🇩🇰@IndiahRiley played almost an hour overnight as her @FortunaHjorring let a one-goal lead slip vs @Brondbywomen, losing 2-1 in R7 of the 10 round Champions series.
Fortuna now lies 4th on the ladder with two #UWCL spots on offer.
📷: Jess M. Madsen pic.twitter.com/LR73xjl9Tf
— Beyond 90 (@Beyond90AU) May 17, 2021
In the Promotion/Relegation series, Hannah Bacon was not listed on the AGF Aarhus team sheet for their 1-0 win at home against Sundby. Her team continues to top the table and are shoring up their chances of playing in the Elitedivisionen as each round passes.
Round 7 Championship series results
Round 7 Promotion/Relegation series results
Round 8 games
Champions Round-robin table
Promotion/relegation Round-robin table
Follow all our coverage of Aussies and Ferns Abroad here, and Aussies in Nordic football here.
