Four Nordic countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland) are hosting Aussie players this year, read on to see how they fared in the past week!
Fortuna Hjørring could be somewhat forgiven for suffering a post-Danish Cup win hangover, but with the end of the Champions round-robin series nearing and the Elitedivisionen season proper not far off, they’ll want the hangover to be temporary.
Fortuna lost 4-0 away to bottom side Nordsjaelland but remains as unassailable as ever in second place with two rounds remaining.
Indiah-Paige Riley sat the game out due to her last-minute ankle injury in the Cup final, while both Angie Beard and Clare Wheeler played the full 90 minutes.
Next week’s Round 9 game sees head coach Brian Sørensen’s tenure come to an end, so the team will be aiming to see him off in style against Kolding IF. Sørensen departs to coach Everton in the FA WSL.
There was no mini form slump for Jenna McCormick‘s AGF Aarhus during Round 8 of the promotion/relegation playoffs, with McCormick scoring the final goal in her team’s 6-1 away win against 5th-placed Varde.
View this post on Instagram
The win keeps AGF in second place (and contending strongly for a 2022 Elitedivisionen berth) but with third-placed B.93 just three points away, maintaining form over the last two rounds will be vital.
Champions playoff results
Champions playoffs ladder
Promotion playoff results
Promotion playoffs ladder
The return of Toppserien action – with Rounds 10 and 11 played just days apart – didn’t see either of the two Aussies in the league figure on their respective team sheets.
Nothing separates 5th-placed LSK Kvinner from 6th-placed Lyn, and with English A-League Womens’ Golden Boot Fiona Worts having bagged four goals in LSK’s recent NM Cup match, it was reasonable to think she would see some Round 10 action. Her contribution was minor however, coming on in the 90th minute, with preference given on the hour mark to returning attacking midfielder Camilla Linberg.
The game petered out to a 0-0 draw in the LSK Hall.
LSK’s midweek Round 11 game was away to 3rd-placed Rosenborg. Despite Worts taking the field at half-time, a tight contest saw the home side score with one minute of normal time remaining and come away with the win.
It is understood that Karly Roestbakken is still troubled by foot soreness, she will be itching for a return to action and putting her hat in the ring for the Matildas’ right-back spot over the coming months.
View this post on Instagram
Ally Green‘s 2nd-placed Vålerenga smashed 9th-placed Arna-Bjørnar 9-1 at home during Round 10, and followed that up with a strong 4-1 Round 11 away win against fourth-placed Stabaek.
Results
Ladder
Round 10 of the Damallsvenskan saw Teagan Micah and Charli Grant‘s FC Rosengård record an impressive 3-0 away win against 4th-placed Eskilstuna United – the perfect tune-up for their Friday morning Svenska Cup Final. Micah played the full game and Grant came onto the field in the 86th minute.
View this post on Instagram
Both Aussies then started in the Cup Final against BK Häcken. Grant was a surprise starter, replacing Swedish captain Caroline Seger. The final was a thriller, with the score tied 1-1 at the end of normal time and Rosengård’s winning goal not arriving until the second period of extra time.
Grant received a yellow card in the 112th minute and was replaced two minutes later by Seger, while Micah played the entire match.
Swedish Women’s Cup Champions! 🏆
A huge congratulations to @TeaganMicah and @_charli_grant on winning the Swedish Women’s Cup with @FCRosengard this morning, with both Aussies starting in the 2-1 win! #WeAreMatildas #MatildasAbroad pic.twitter.com/5AdpwrG2VB
— CommBank Matildas (@TheMatildas) May 26, 2022
Hammarby climbed the ladder this week, jumping over this round’s opponent Djurgarden with a 2-1 away win and a late winner set up by Courtney Nevin‘s corner delivery.
Nevin played a full game, with her efforts earning her a place in Viaplay‘s team of the week, but Kyra Cooney-Cross has not as yet been declared available for match-day inclusion.
View this post on Instagram
Vittsjö GIK continued on their winning ways with a 1-0 away victory against Örebro. Katrina Gorry‘s late goal was the clincher.
View this post on Instagram
Both Gorry and Clare Polkinghorne played a full game, while Gorry picked up a yellow card right on halftime. The result cements Vittsjö’s fifth placing.
Bottom side AIK continue to struggle this season but Remy Siemsen is accumulating excellent game time. She played a full game as AIK lost 5-1 away to Kristianstads.
View this post on Instagram
Finally, in the second tier Elitettan competition, Annie Haffenden wasn’t on the match card as her undefeated Växjö DFF won 7-1 at home against Gamla Uppsala.
The club released the following statement regarding Haffenden:
“Växjö DFF & Annabel Haffenden go their separate ways.
Växjö DFF and Annabel Haffenden have chosen to break the contract prematurely. Annabel will therefore leave the squad on Wednesday 25/5.
We would like to extend a big thank you to Annie for your time with us in Växjö DFF.”
View this post on Instagram
As Haffenden was the only Aussie in the Elitettan competition, the Nordic Wrap will no longer report on the Swedish second tier for the rest of the 2022 season.
Results – Damallsvenskan
Results – Elitettan
Ladder – Damallsvenskan
Ladder – Elitettan
Gema Simon has been quietly plying her trade for second-placed Thróttur Reykjavík (a tip of the hat to Renae Polson for the heads up) over the first four rounds of the Úrvalsdeild Kvenna, coming off the bench in Round 1 and cementing a starting position during the following games. This is not Simon’s first go-round in Nordic football – she enjoyed a season with Norwegian side Avaldsnes in 2017.
There were two rounds played over the last week and Simon played 90 minutes in both. Thróttur first defeated Thor/KA 4-1 at home, then backed that up with a 2-1 away win against Keflavik.
View this post on Instagram
Melina Ayres‘ Breiðablik suffered successive 1-0 losses, the first at home against IBV and the second away to ladder leaders Valur Reykjavík. The first loss in particular would have hurt, with IBV overtaking Breiðablik on the ladder by virtue of the result.
There was finally some joy for KR Reykjavik, with a first win recorded after their Round 6 fixture against 9th-placed Afturelding. Margaux Chauvet and Susan Phonsongkham both received yellow cards during this contest, and Phonsongkham was named Player of the Match.
Congratulations to Susan Phonsongkham who was awarded player of the match for KR Reykjavik! pic.twitter.com/eBkos8RMju
— FNX Sports (@FNXsports) May 25, 2022
The win would have helped repair some pain from KR’s earlier game, which ended as a 9-1 away loss to Valur. Phonsongkham played the full match, while Chauvet was on the field for 82 minutes.
Results
Ladder
Follow all our coverage of Aussies and Ferns Abroad here, and Aussies in Nordic football here.
