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.
Round 7 of the Toppserien was played over the weekend.
Karly Roestbakken‘s LSK Kvinner bounced back well from a couple of tough matches with a convincing 4-0 home victory over Stabæk. Captain Emilie Haavi played her 150th game for the club, while striker Sophie Haug played her 100th. The fourth-placed team from Lillestrøm will be looking to continue this form on the weekend against Kolbotn, with half an eye on a key match-up against current champions Vålerenga on July 15.
Roestbakken’s rehab continues to progress well in the Canberra region and she has resumed running, clearly making the most of her time with the local sports medicine facilities and her family before soon heading back to Norway.
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Nikola Orgill resumed her place at right back on the weekend for Klepp, playing 90 minutes in their home encounter against Teagan Micah and her team IL Sandviken. While Micah and team won the encounter 1-3, taking them into second place on the ladder, it came as a surprise to learn after the game that this was to be Micah’s last for Sandviken in the 2021 Toppserien.
Initial unconfirmed indications are that Micah’s next step in her football journey may keep her in the Nordic leagues after the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Orgill’s Klepp will be looking for maximum points this weekend when they play bottom side Avaldsnes.
Round 7 results
Round 8 games
Round 7 Ladder
Round 11 of the Swedish Damallsvenskan was played last weekend, and Round 12 has just commenced (as of July 8th).
Table-topping Charli Grant‘s FC Rosengård were held to a 0-0 away draw to ninth-placed KIF Örebro DFF on the weekend, with Grant named but not coming off the bench to play. The home side prioritised defence and were difficult to break down in what was not Rosengård’s best performance of the campaign to date.
The result leaves Rosengård six points clear of BK Häcken coming into Round 12. Rosengård meet Växjö DFF on Friday morning Australian time.
Dylan Holmes came on late for BK Häcken on the weekend as they recorded a 6-2 home victory over third-placed Kristianstad thanks to a Stina Blackstenius hat-trick, once again opening up a gap to third place after just one point had separated them.
The momentum from this Round 11 game carried over into their Round 12 game overnight, with BK Häcken winning 0-3 away to 6th-placed Linköpings FC. Holmes again made a late appearance, replacing goalscorer Milica Mijatovic.
Emily Gielnik played 74 minutes, Clare Polkinghorne 90 minutes, and Elise Kellond-Knight the final 8 minutes as Kellond-Knight’s Hammarby IF succumbed 0-1 at home to Vittsjö GIK on the weekend. These were Kellond-Knight’s first minutes for Hammarby in an excellent victory for the seventh-placed Vittsjö. The homeside have now dropped to fifth after this game.
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Hammarby take on Örebro Friday morning Australian time in their Round 12 outing. There is then a break in all competition until mid-August 2021.
Round 11 and 12 (to date) results
Round 12 and 13 games
Ladder
Emma Checker‘s UMF Selfoss played ladder leaders Valur Reykjavík in Round 9 of the Úrvalsdeild Kvenna in this midweek round, losing 1-2 at home. Checker played the full 90 minutes and has captained the side in the last two matches.
Another midweek game follows for Selfoss next week, who line up against the promoted Keflavik side. Selfoss remain in third place after Round 9, and their opponents next week lie in eighth place.
Round 9 results and Round 10 games
Ladder
Having recently completed the 2020 season’s promotion/relegation series as well as the process of selecting teams for the 2021 UEFA Women’s Champions 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.
