Damallsvenskan Newsblog

Team Strömmen - Djugården/Älvsjö 2-3 (2-0)
Djurgården/Älvsjö: Bente Nordby - Kristin Bengtsson, Therese Brogårde, Malin Engdahl, Sara Thunebro - Anna Hall (65 Emma Liljegren), Linda Fagerström (62 Jenny Dannberg), Elin Ekblom - Laura Kalmari, Victoria Svensson, Sofia Simonsson (46 Ann-Marie Norlin)
Goals: 1-0 (17), 2-0 (42), 2-1 Anna Hall (49), 2-2 Laura Kalmari (59), 2-3 Victoria Svensson (63)
Djurgården/Älvsjö took off to Oslo to meet Norway's two top clubs. Saturday featured runners-up Team Strømmen. They showed a strong competition and was 2-0 up at half-time, but Djurgården/Älvsjö had better stamina and could turn the match around in the second half. "It's really good to meet this kind of opposition, something you seldom do in Sweden", commented Djurgården's sport director Mikael Söderman.
Damfotboll.com: Djurgården/Älvsjö vände 0-2-underläge i Norge
Djurgården/Älvsjö: Äventyr i Norge

KIF Örebro - Mallbacken 1-0 (0-0)
Mallbacken: Carola Söberg - Kristin Ek, Kathlene Fernström, Therese Stolpe, Helena Nilsson (Sandra Andersson) - Linda Nöjd, Erla Arnardóttir, Therese Persson, Emma Asp (Malin Weinstock (Alexandra Larsson))- Jenny Monsén (Maja Johansson), Jenny Rådström.
Goals: 1-0 Emalia Erixon (65).
A deserved win for the home side in an even matched game, where Örebro's fast attack made the difference. Örebro's Pia Sundhage also gives credit to her defense line and team captain Stina Segerström.
Mallbacken: Uddamålsförlust
Nerikes Allehanda: Tredje raka nollan för KIF

Stattena - Kopparbergs/Göteborg 0-3 (0-1)
Kopparbergs/Göteborg: Maria Edman (46 Bodil Sjans) - Camilla Schelin, Maria Nilsson, Frida Höglund, Maria Karlsson - Lotta Schelin, Frida Thydén, Johanna Almgren, Rebecca Ljungdahl - Salina Olsson, My Hjelm
Goals: 0-1 Salina Olsson, 0-2 Salina Olsson, 0-3 Rebecca Ljungdahl.
Several players had to stay behind due to illness when Kopparbergs/Göteborg travelled to Helsingborg to play 1st division side Stattena. Göteborg still won fairly easy with Salina Olsson and 16 year old debutant My Hjelm impressing in the attack.
Kopparbergs/Göteborg: Seger mot Stattena IF
Damfotboll.com: Två mål av Salina för Kopparberg/Göteborg
Göteborgsposten: Salina Olsson målskytt direkt

Hammarby - FoC Farsta P 89 0-2
Hammarby: Camilla Halonen - Terese Dahlberg (65 Josefin Wejner), Josefin Christensen, Elin Sölveskog, Annica Svensson - Sara Johansson, Therese Sandström, Marijke Callebaut (55 Jennie Jonsson), Lisa Björkvik - Jessica Landström, Linda Forsberg
Hammarby played against a local boy's team, "a good test of our defensive" said head coach En Perlskog.
Damfotboll.com: Stark come-back av Linda Forsberg i Hammarby

Jitex - Falköping 0-2


Kolbotn IL - Djurgården/Älvsjö 1-2 (0-1)
Djurgården/Älvsjö: Bente Nordby - Dorte Dalum Jensen, Kristin Bengtsson, Therese Brogårde, Ann-Marie Norlin (69 Jenny Dannberg) - Linda Fagerström, Kristin Pedersen (59 Anna Hall), Elin Ekblom - Laura Kalmari, Victoria Svensson, Sara Thunebro (62 Sofia Simonsson). 
Goals: 0-1 Victoria Svensson (28), 0-2 own goal (52), 1-2 Ingrid Wang Andersen (56)
After a slow start with somewhat reserved play from both sides, the play turned better and Djurgården/Älvsjö dominated large parts of the second half and could have defeated the Norwegian champions more convincing if their finishing had been better.
Östlandets blad: Jevnt mellom de beste
Djurgården/Älvsjö: Äventyr i Norge

Öster - Malmö FF 0-3 (0-0)
Malmö FF: Caroline Jönsson - Jenny Rosén, Therese Jönsson, Emma Wilhelmsson, Jenny Engwall (75 Malin Levenstad)- Frida Nordin (80 Lina Nilsson), Nilla Fischer (46 Linda Blom), Therese Sjögran, Dora Stefansdottir - Therese Lundin (60 Mia Westerblad), Asthildur Helgadottir (60 Emma Stålhammar)
Goals: 0-1 Asthildur Helgadottir, 0-2 Emma Stålhammar, 0-3 Emma Wilhelmsson
Malmö went to Växjö to play one of the top teams in the 1st division, Öster. The young home team stood up well in the first half, but finally had to surrender. Malmö's coaches was pleased to have almost the entire squad with them this time and did a lot of substitutions.

Both Malmö's coaches as well as several players (Lundin, Nordin and Wilhelmsson to name some) has been with Öster before they moved to Malmö, so this was a kind of home-coming match. Asthildur Helgadottir seems to be lingering with the team for a rather long time, by the way. Could she have changed her mind about moving back to Iceland?
Damfotboll.com: Öster - Malmö FF Dam 0-3

"It was such a great and fun offer, that I couldn't turn it down", comments Malin Andersson on her new assignment as assistant coach for Sweden's U21 team. Malin did her debut as a U21 player in the early 1990's when Marika Domanski Lyfors coached the team. Later they spend a lot of time together in the senior team and now they're back together again: "It's going to be fun working with Marika. We know each other well, she is a good coach and a good person".

Malin is satisfied that the Swedish FA has started to use veteran players to staff the national teams; "It's good that you use the older player's experience and knowledge and the understanding for the younger players situation." She also says, for her personally, it's a good way to come to terms with not playing football any more.

The assistant coach position is also the right amount of work, says Malin: "The team only meets four or five times a year, so I don't have to take much time off from work. I'll have to watch matches, but I would have done that anyway, but I'll get a lot of evenings and weekends free."

Malmö FF: Malin Andersson assisterande förbundskapten för U21-landslaget
Kristianstadbladet: Malin tillbaka – som Marikas assistent

Former Sweden and Malmö FF veteran Malin Andersson, who finished her career as a player after last season, has been named assistant coach for Sweden's U21 team, re-establishing her cooperation with Marika Domanski Lyfors. Malin says that she took a complete break from football for a couple of months but this new assignment feels very exciting and stimulating. She hopes to be able to share of her experience to the young players.

At the press conference the Swedish U21 squad for a match against France on March 12 was also presented:
Goalkeepers: Kristin Hammarström KIF Örebro, Veronika Svensson Gideonsbergs IF
Defenders: Kathlene Fernström Mallbackens IF, Johanna Frisk Umeå IK, Emma Herbring Jitex BK, Maria Karlsson Kopparberga/Göteborg FC, Anna Paulson Umeå IK
Midfielders:Emma Wilhelmsson Malmö FF, Lena Andersson KIF Örebro, Sofie Andersson Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC, Maria Aronsson Linköpings FC, Madelaine Edlund Sunnanå SK, Nilla Fischer Malmö FF
Forwards: Linda Forsberg Hammarby IF, Emma Jonsson Sunnanå SK, Maria Karlsson Linköpings FC, Alexandra Nilsson Sunnanå SK, Maria Nordbrandt Sunnanå SK

Svensk Fotboll: "Malla" assisterar Marika
SVT: Malin Andersson blir U21-kapten
Damfotboll.com: Malla blir assisterande i U 21-landslaget

Sweden's squad for the coming Algarve Cup was announced today. Assistant coach Lillie Persson commented that since the veterans Malin Andersson and Kicki Bengtsson has left the team it's important to give a lot of time to the new defenders. Caroline Näfver, Stina Segerström and Maria Bergkvist, who all got their first caps against England in Cyprus a few weeks ago, will also go to Algarve.

Goalkeepers: Caroline Jönsson, Malmö FF, Hedvig Lindahl, Linköping, Sofia Lundgren, Umeå.
Defenders: Caroline Näfver, KIF Örebro, Sara Larsson, Linköping, Hanna Marklund, Sunnanå, Maria Bergkvist, Umeå, Stina Segerström, KIF Örebro, Karolina Westberg, Umeå, Frida Östberg, Linköping. 
Midfielders: Johanna Almgren, Kopparbergs/Göteborg, Linda Fagerström, Djurgården/Älvsjö, Malin Moström, Umeå, Lotta Schelin, Kopparbergs/Göteborg, Caroline Seger, Linköping, Therese Sjögran, Malmö FF, Anna Sjöström, Umeå. 
Forwards: Hanna Ljungberg, Umeå, Therese Lundin, Malmö FF, Salina Olsson, Kopparbergs/Göteborg, Victoria Svensson, Djurgården/Älvsjö.

Svensk Fotboll: Sveriges trupp till Algarve Cup
Dagens Nyheter: Damtruppen till Algarve Cup uttagen
Damfotboll.com: Förnyat förtroende för debutanttrio till Algarve Cup

Umeå pleased with Klaveness signing
Even if the squad was already set, Umeå IK couldn't say no to Lise Klaveness. "She is an extraordinary accomplished player and we will benefit a lot from her", says Umeå head coach André Jeglertz. "She can play in almost any position on the field." The signing will also provide more depth to Umeå's rather small (but expensive) squad, much needed in view of the (hopefully) long season with UEFA Cup play.
Västerbottens Folkblad: Jeglertz nöjd med nyförvärvet
Västerbottenskuriren: UIK kunde inte tacka nej

Umeå signs cooperation agreement with local competitors
Umeå IK has signed a cooperation agreement with the local 1st division side Umeå Södra. The agreement covers player development and organisational and financial questions. It also makes it possible for Umeå Ik to loan younger players to Umeå Södra outside of the transfer periods, which will give 1st team experience to some of Umeå's usually rather underused benchsitters.

Team Norway checks out Bente Nordby's new environment
Norway's goalkeeper coach Jerry Knutsson made a visit to Djurgården/Älvsjö to see how his principal protegé Bente Nordby has been settling in with her new club. He thinks the cooperation between Nordby and Djurgården/Älvsjö's goalkeeper coach Bernt Magnusson will be fruitfull and help Nordby to continue develop as a world class keeper.
Djurgården/Älvsjö: Trio med handskar

Hammarby IF - Glanshammar IF 3-2 (2-1)
Hammarby IF: Camilla Halonen - Anna Lindblom (70 Lisa Hoffman), Josefin Christensen, Karolina Rinnman, Annica Svensson - Josefin Weijner (60 Daniella Schamoun), Jennie Jonsson, Therese Sandström, Louise Fors - Marjike Callebaut, Lisa Björkvik. 
Goals: 1-0 Louise Fors, 2-0 Marjike Callebaut, 3-2 Karolina Rinnman
Hammarby IF played their first training match last Sunday, something I missed in my weekend update. I don't have any real match report, but from the line-up you can tell that they, like all other Damallsvenskan teams that have started their outdoor matches, were forced to use a lot of players that usually don't get to start. Glanshammars IF is a newly promoted 1st division side.

Bälinge and AIK agrees on player transfer
Bälinge IF and AIK, that dropped out from Damallsvenskan finishing 11th last season, has after lengthy negotiations agreed on the transfer of 24 year old winger Anna Bergendal. "AIK wanted more than they got and we had to pay more than we would have liked, so it was probably a fair deal", said Bälinge chairman Conny Sjöberg. Bergendal is Bälinge's 9th player acquisition this season and they are expecting one more before the squad is completed.
Uppsala Nya Tidning: AIK i kontraktsbråk med Bälinge
Uppsala Nya Tidning: Bälinge och AIK överens

Umeå IK and Norway's Lise Klaveness has agreed on a one year contract. Klaveness states that she want to return to her club Asker next year, when they hopefully have returned to the Norwegian top division, but she is very keen on playing for "the best team in Europe" instead of spending a year in Norway's 2nd tier division. Umeå decided to sign the 35 time Norwegian international in spite of already having their full 18 player squad in place.

Budstikka: Klaveness valgte Umeå
Västerbottens Folkblad: Klaveness till Umeå IK

Malmö FF - Kolbotn IL 0-1 (0-1)
Malmö FF: Thóra Helgadóttír - Jenny Engwall, Therese Jönsson, Malin Levenstad, Johanna Rosén - Emelie Ölander (46 Anna Mörstam), Emma Wilhelmsson (65 Lina Nilsson), Therese Sjögran (70 Mia Westerblad), Frida Nordin - Ásthíldur Helgadottír, Linda Blom (46 Emma Stålhammar)
Goals: 0-1 Camilla Huuse (31)
Malmö played their first friendly for the season against Norwegian champions Kolbotn. While Kolbotn showed up with most of their national team players like Ingvild Stensland, Isabel Herlovsen and Ane Stangeland, Malmö rested Therese Lundin, Nilla Fischer and Caroline Jönsson and put a lot of their youngsters on the pitch. Kolbotn consequently dominated the match and you could see that Malmö have some work before them to get the new players gel with the team.

The Helgadóttír sisters Thóra (Iceland goalkeeper) and Ásthíldur (Iceland captain and former Malmö forward) had premission from their club Breidablik to play the match. Ásthíldur has just graduated with a master in engineering from Lund University and is in Malmö with her sister preparing the move back to Iceland.

Damfotboll.com: Kolbotn fick revansch i Malmö
Malmö FF: Malmö FF - Kolbotn IL   0-1, match pictures, more pictures
Mffare.com: Malmö FF - Kolbotn I.L

Djurgården/Älvsjö - Brommapojkarna P16 2-5 (0-1)
Djurgården/Älvsjö: Bente Nordby – Kristin Bengtsson (73 Emma Liljegren), Katrine Pedersen, Therese Brogårde, Helen Fagerström – Anna Hall, Elin Ekblom, Linda Fagerström (45 Laura Kalmari) – Dorte Dalum Jensen, Victoria Svensson, Sofia Simonsson (83 Musu Bangura).
Goals: 0-1 (14), 0-2 (46), 0-3 (48), 1-3 Sofia Simonsson (51), 2-3 Victoria Svensson (54), 2-4 (58), 2-5 (82).
Several minor injuries (Törnqvist, Lekander, Thunebro) forced Djurgården/Älvsjö to call in retired Helen Fagerström in defense for the first training match this season. The match, against one of Sweden's best boy's teams, was tight and speedy and proved a good test for Djurgården's new players. The newly signed young forward from Alvik, Sofia Simonsson, impressed Djurgården coach Benny Persson the most. He was more doubtfull concerning Musu Bangura's possibilities to make the team.

Damfotboll.com: De nya i Djurgården/Älvsjö har debuterat
Djurgården/Älvsjö: Förlust i första matchen

Team Strømmen - QBIK 1-2 (0-2)
Goals: 0-1 Anna Nilsson, 0-2 Jennifer Meier
QBIK impressed greatly as they defeated Norway's number 2 Team Strømmen in their first training match. QBIK, that just barely escaped relegation last season, seems to have taken a big step forward. They craeted much more scoring opportunities than they usually managed last year and Anna Nilsson and Jennifer Meier in the attack worked well together, setting up each other. All in all QBIK's new coach Kjell Pettersson was very pleased with his team, especially Faith Ikidi in defense.

Värmlands Folkblad: Imponerande Qbik!

KIF Örebro crushed Kopparbergs/Göteborg with 11-2 in the final of the Swedish Futsal Championship, thus defending their indoor championship title from last year. The match was decided just before the 30 minutes mark, when Örebro scored 4 goals in 3 minutes. Caroline Näfver, just back from her stay with the national team at Cyprus, and Elin Magnusson got hat-tricks.

Only three Damallsvenskan clubs participated in the Futsal finals. The third team, Sunnanå, got knocked out by Göteborg in the group play, drawing Göteborg 1-1 in the deciding match. Göteborg reached the final on a better goal difference.

Most of the Damallsvenskan clubs decided not to participater in the Futsal Championships, since this would interfere with their preparations for the outdoor season.

Damfotboll.com: KIF Örebro krossade Kopparbergs/Göteborg
Svensk Fotboll: SM i Futsal damer och herrar 2006

If Sweden's national team coach Thomas Dennerby was satisfied with his largely untried team's performance in the 0-0 draw on Tuesday, he was even more so with the Thursday match. "We followed up the really good defense play from Tuesday and the attack was even better", he said after the match. "I'm really proud of the team and it will be hard to pick the squad for Algarve Cup."

Sweden's goal came early in the match after a model attack with a gereat pass from Salina Olsson to Victoria Svensson, who turned her defender and gave Maria Aronsson a great scoring opportunity, which she converted. Pressed to mention any individual players, he was very pleased with goal-scorer Maria Aronsson, who worked great together with Victoria Svensson, Salina Olsson created a lot in midfield and Caroline Seger continues to grow as a player.

Sweden's squad:  Sofia Lundgren Umeå IK - Anna Paulson Umeå IK (73 Frida Östberg Linköping FC), Sara Larsson Linköping FC (46 Stina Segerström KIF Örebro), Karolina Westberg Umeå IK, Maria Bergkvist Umeå IK - Johanna Almgren Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC, Salina Olsson Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC, Nilla Fischer Malmö FF (38 Caroline Seger Linköping FC), Maria Karlsson Linköping FC (73 Caroline Näfver KIF Örebro) - Victoria Svensson Djurgården/Älvsjö (46 Lotta Schelin Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC), Maria Aronsson Linköping FC.
Goals: 5 Maria Sronsson 1-0, 64 Rachel Unitt 1-1

Aftonbladet: Aronsson glänste
Radiosporten: Oavgjort igen för damerna (audio file with Dennerby interview)
Svt: Oavgjort igen mot England
Svensk Fotboll: Andra oavgjorda mot England

The other view at The FA: England hit back

"Several Swedish clubs have contacted me the last days", says Norway's Lise Klaveness and names Umeå IK, Malmö FF, KIF Örebro, QBIK, Jitex BK and Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC. Since the decision by the Norwegian Football Association to relegate her club Asker from Norway's top division she has been contemplating her future. She now says that if she stays in Norway, she will play for Asker. But if she goes to Sweden, the 24 year old says it will be for a top team, and rules out at least Jitex and QBIK.

Adresseavisa: Ønsket av "hele" Sverige
Värmlands Folkblad: Jagar storstjärna

"We're very happy with this match. It was a good match with high pace and a lot of scoring opportunities. It could just as well have ended 2-2 instead of 0-0", said Sweden's head coach Thomas Dennerby after the first of two friendlies against England on Cyprus this week. England played fast and tuogh and had the upper hand large parts of the match. There were a lot of heavy legs in the Swedish team, that is in preseason training with a lot of strength and fitness training. Dennerby was particulary pleased with the two first-timers Stina Segerström och Caroline Näfwer, who did good in defense. He adds that the team for the Thursday match will have a completely different line-up.

Sweden's squad: Hedvig Lindahl Linköping FC - Frida Östberg Linköping FC, Sara Larsson Linköping FC (79 Karolina Westberg Umeå IK), Stina Segerström KIF Örebro, Caroline Näfwer KIF Örebro - Linda Fagerström Djurgården/Älvsjö (62 Johanna Almgren Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC), Caroline Seger Linköping FC, Therese Sjögran Malmö FF, Lotta Schelin Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC - Therese Lundin Malmö FF (66 Salina Olsson Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC), Victoria Svensson Djurgården/Älvsjö.

Svensk Fotboll: Mållöst i säsongpremiären

The other side of the story can be found at The FA: England held by Sweden

In an interview with local newspaper Sydsvenskan, Malmö FF head coach Jörgen Petersson says he doubts England and Everton defender Rachel Unitt will join the team. He also says that he has not yet made up his mind concering the American trialists Huff and Magliulo, who returned from their try-out to USA last friday.

One of Petersson's priorities since he took over as head coach late last year has been to find an experienced defender with a good left foot. Unitt trained with the team in December 2005 and both team and management as well as the contract offer pleased her. Eventually she, according to an diary entry at a fan-site, has decided that the workload (65-70 matches for the 2005-06 season) would be to much. She doesn't want to risk burning herself out, the more since it's an important year for England with a spot in the 2007 World Cup finals at stake.

No link to the interview with Petersson, since it was only in the printed paper, but Rachel Unitt writes to her fans here.

20 year old goalkeeper Christina Lundholm, 6 matches for Sweden's U19, has signed for Bälinge. Reasonably this is for a spot as backup keeper for Maja Åström, but Christina, who played with Bälinge's main promotion competitors Gideonsberg last year, says she goes to Bälinge to compete for the starting position.

Damfotboll.com: En riktig vinnarskalle klar för Bälinge
UNT: Lundholm ny målvakt i allsvenska Bälinge