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.
Toppserien Round 4 games commenced on Tuesday of this week after the international break.
Klepp‘s right back Nikola Orgill faced her toughest test yet this season, up against the undoubted quality of Norwegian international and LSK Kvinner captain Emilie Haavi on LSK’s left flank. Klepp playing at home didn’t seem to matter much to Haavi who went on to score LSK’s first four goals on the way to a 5-1 victory, a feat which makes her the competition’s top goalscorer. The fifth goal came courtesy of returning signing Mimmi Löfwenius, coming back from a long term injury. Klepp’s scorer was Canadian Marie Alidou.
The win sets up LSK Kvinner nicely for a showdown with the also undefeated Rosenborg on the weekend, while Klepp’s week doesn’t get any easier with a game against undefeated champions Vålerenga.
Matilda and LSK defender Karly Roestbakken is meanwhile enjoying a short break in Australia. In between catching up with family and friends, she is putting in some serious work at the AIS. Is she an outside chance for the Olympics? Only time will tell.
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Meanwhile, Teagan Micah‘s IL Sandviken also pulled no punches in a commanding 5-0 win against a Lyn Lightning team that was coming off a last round win. Micah played the full game.
Sandviken is now top of the ladder on goal difference, and should continue their winning ways this weekend against an Arna-Bjørnar side yet to register any points this season.
Round 4 results
Round 5 games
Ladder
Round 9 of the Swedish Damallsvenskan was also played midweek after the international break.
Charli Grant was on the bench for top-of-the-ladder FC Rosengård as they took on Emily Gielnik and Clare Polkinghorne‘s sixth-placed Vittsjö GIK at home. Despite Gielnik scoring for the visitors just after halftime – she was to play almost 70 minutes while Polkinghorne played the full game – Rosengård were too strong. They won 3-1, with the game a closer match-up than the scoreline indicates.
Dylan Holmes played the last 24 minutes for second-placed BK Häcken in their astonishing 10-0 home win against ninth-placed AIK, with Stina Blackstenius scoring a hat-trick and Milica Mijatovic a brace.
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BK Häcken and Rosengard play each other in Round 10. Holmes’ team will want to get maximum points to reign in the 5 point gap at the top of the ladder that Rosengard currently enjoys.
Elise Kellond-Knight is not yet appearing on Hammarby IF teamsheets. They continue to perform well in her absence, notching a 0-3 away win against second-last Piteå IF and climbing into fourth place on the ladder.
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Hammarby play bottom team Växjö DFF in Round 10.
Round 9 results
Round 10 games
Ladder
Round 7 of the Úrvalsdeild Kvenna was played midweek.
UMF Selfoss‘ Emma Checker joined Beyond 90’s podcast this week, where she spoke enthusiastically about not only on her time in Iceland to date, but also of her journey to becoming a plant-based (vegan) athlete:
🎧 PODCAST | @emmachecker – Plant Based Athlete 🌱 🏃🏻♀️
Emma joins @ChicasFootball, @eric_subijano & @ShmobyOne to share her vegan journey@CaptainAngelo 👩🏻🦰 👑 was our other special guest, while @rhali_dobson (and Matt Stonham) also join the party!https://t.co/IW8gapK4Np pic.twitter.com/1DrL7aslob
— Beyond 90 (@Beyond90AU) June 21, 2021
The very day that Checker spoke on the podcast, her team played at home against third-placed Breiðablik, a traditional powerhouse in the Icelandic competition. The game didn’t go the way the home team wanted as they succumbed 0-4, with Checker playing the full 90 minutes. Selfoss drop to third place on the back of this result, while their opponents in this game become the new ladder leaders.
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The team will want to arrest a dip in form over the last month when they play a Cup quarterfinal against Thróttur Reykjavík on the weekend, before resuming competition games mid next week.
Round 7 results, and Round 8 games
Ladder
Having recently completed the 2020 season’s promotion/relegation series as well as the process of selecting teams for the 2021 European Women’s Champion League, there is now a break until the 2021 Elitedivisionen season proper kicks off on August 7th.
Fortuna Hjørring has been busy rejuvenating their team list in preparation for the new season, including a couple of experienced stalwarts from previous seasons to complement the young squad. Indiah-Paige Riley will also be returning, but this time she’s bringing along a few mates:
A well deserved move for Clare which continues the 30ish year tradition of Aussies going to ply their trade at Fortuna Hjørring! https://t.co/i4jeqVM2Fi
— Marissa Lordanic 😷🤌 (@marissalordanic) June 11, 2021
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New signing – Australian left back Angela Beard. Angela has been a standout player in the Westfield W-League and her acquisition comes as a major boost to our squad 💚 Welcome to the former Melbourne Victory captain 💚#WomensFootball #Football #WePlayStrong pic.twitter.com/tc0PErXOiM
— Fortuna Hjørring (@FortunaHjorring) June 18, 2021
Follow all our coverage of Aussies and Ferns Abroad here, and Aussies in Nordic football here.
