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.
Round 1 of the Toppserien was played last weekend, the last of the Nordic leagues to get underway.
Lillestrøm based LSK Kvinner – Matilda Karly Roestbakken‘s club – were due to play their round 1 game against Lyn, but the game was postponed after a player in the LSK camp tested positive for coronavirus following their practice game against Kolbotn last week.
You might think that would be it this week for insights on what is happening with Roestbakken and her club but, happily, that isn’t the case. Presenting:
🎧 PODCAST | Karly Roestbakken ⭐🇳🇴
Special guest @kroestbakken brings @ShmobyOne running back🏃@rhali_dobson now classifies as a regular co-host 🤝 which leaves @eric_subijano, @dale_roots and @ChicasFootball as expert colour commentators 🎨https://t.co/uJ9A0UH6U4
— Beyond 90 (@Beyond90AU) May 24, 2021
Nicknamed ‘The Canaries’ due to their jersey colour, LSK will now play their first game against Arna-Bjornar this weekend.
Nikola Orgill‘s Klepp commenced the 2021 season with a commanding 4-1 home win over Arna-Bjornar, with her team up by four goals after just 20 minutes before the away team settled.
Orgill played a full game at right back and had a bit of an on-field leadership role with some of the younger players in her team. This was terrific to see given this was Orgill’s debut for the club.
View this post on Instagram
Klepp takes on newly-promoted Stabæk in the next game.
Teagan Micah‘s IL Sandviken started their season with a 1-0 win over Kolbotn, with recently-arrived Micah not yet available to play. Sandviken comes up against Avaldsnes in their Round 2 game this weekend.
Round 1 results
Round 2 games
Ladder
Round 6 of the Swedish Damallsvenskan was played on the weekend.
Charli Grant was on the bench for FC Rosengård and they had to work hard at home to overcome Piteå IF‘s well-organised defence 1-0. Sweden national team (and club) captain Caroline Seger scored the winner.
With six straight victories, Rosengård are five points ahead of second-placed BK Häcken.
Emily Gielnik and Clare Polkinghorne played 90 minutes for Vittsjö GIK in their 0-0 away draw against fourth-placed Linköpings FC. The result leaves Vittsjö in seventh place.
Dylan Holmes was on the bench for BK Häcken as they dispatched Eskilstuna United 3-0 at home and found their way back into second place on the ladder. Here’s the final goal:
Tredje gången gillt ✌️ pic.twitter.com/M70HlSJZIp
— BK Häcken (@bkhackenofcl) May 24, 2021
Round 6 results
Round 7 games
Ladder
Round 4 of the Úrvalsdeild Kvenna was played on the weekend.
Emma Checker played 90 minutes of her UMF Selfoss‘s seven-goal thriller away to Laura Hughes‘ team from last season, Thróttur Reykjavík. Selfoss triumphed 3-4, and with four wins from four they have a two-point lead at the top of the table.
Checker has been central to the finest Nordic football social media posts this week, one of the spectacular variety, and the other – from last week’s games against Stjarnan – of the side-splitting variety. Selfoss take on Fylkir in Round 5.
View this post on Instagram
Thoroughly enjoying the Iceland league. Can’t stop laughing at this @emmachecker 💀😂 pic.twitter.com/PiSi7Pvk5s
— Nads (@nads_cas) May 19, 2021
Round 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 8 of each ten-game series was played on the weekend.
In the Champions series, Indiah-Paige Riley played the last half hour of Fortuna Hjørring‘s 2-1 home win against Thy-ThistedQ. The result lifts Fortuna into third place again but, with just two games of the series left, they will unfortunately not be playing Champions League football later this year.
In the Promotion/Relegation series, Hannah Bacon was again not listed on the AGF Aarhus team sheet for their 1-3 away win against AaB. Her team continues to top the table and with this result are guaranteed a place in the 2021 Elitedivisionen.
Round 8 Championship series results
Round 8 Promotion/Relegation series results
Round 9 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.
