Algarve Cup match-day 4

France - Sweden 3-2 (1-1)
Sweden's two main weakneses of late - letting in goals on set pieces and not creating enough scoring opportunities - showed this time too. Two french goals on corners and the absense of Victoria Svensson and Hanna Ljungberg was appearent in the offense. And resting players like Jane Törnqvist, Kicki Bengtsson and Hanna Marklund in the starting 11 was maybe not the best recipe for winning. On the postive: the young girls have done really good and the team did reasonably good against Germany and France, that are both mid-season while Sweden is still in pre-season preparations.

Sweden's line-up: Caroline Jönsson, Malmö FF - Sara Larsson, Linköping (Hanna Marklund, Sunnanå subbed in at 45), Karolina Westberg, Umeå, Malin Nykvist, Djurgården/Älvsjö, Sara Thunebro, Djurgården/Älvsjö (Kristin Bengtsson, Djurgården/Älvsjö in at 81) - Frida Östberg, Umeå - Malin Moström, Umeå, Therese Sjögran, Malmö FF (subbed out for Caroline Seger, Linköping at 61), Malin Andersson, Malmö FF (subbed out at 61 for Anna Sjöström, Umeå) - Salina Olsson, Hammarby (Lotta Schelin, Kopparbergs/Göteborg came in at 71), Sara Johansson, Djurgården/Älvsjö
Svensk Fotboll
DN

Malin Andersson and Kicki Bengtsson both played their 147th national team match, one more than Pia Sundhage's old record. "Well, that was about bloody time", was Pia's reaction, "but they can come back when they've played 22 years in the national team, like I and [goalkeeper Elisabeth] Leidinge have."
Sydsvenskan

USA - Germany 1-0 (1-0)
KIF Örebro's Kristine Lilly and Kate Markgraf both played the full match in a convincing victory.
ussoccer.com

Mexico - Finland 1-1 (0-1)
Finland escaped defeat for the first time in this year's Algarve Cup thank's to a mexican own goal. Sanna Valkonen, Umeå, Anna-Kaisa Rantanen, Linköping, Anne Mäkinen, Umeå, Jessica Julin, Umeå and Laura Kalmari, Djurgården/Älvsjö all played the full match.

Algarve Cup match-day 3

Norway - Sweden 1-1 (0-1)
Caroline Seger made her first goal for the senior national team and did overall great until she was forced to walk off the pitch after getting a minor concussion colliding with a norwegian defender after 70 minutes of playing time. On the other hand, according to swedish match reports, Seger was just about all the positive you could find from the swedish side. Very few dangerous situations were created and the swedish attack got stuck in the norwegian defense. Norway's late equaliser was from a set piece, which made coach Domanski Lyfors comment that the swedish team have to get more aggressive in such situations.

Sweden's squad: Hedvig Lindahl, Linköping - Sara Larsson, Linköping, Hanna Marklund, Sunnanå, Jane Törnqvist, Djurgården/Älvsjö, Kristin Bengtsson, Djurgården/Älvsjö - Caroline Seger, Linköping (injured at 72, replaced by Malin Andersson, Malmö FF), Malin Moström, Umeå, Frida Östberg, Umeå, Maria Karlsson, Linköping (subbed out at 45 for Anna Sjöström, Umeå) - Lotta Schelin, Kopparbergs/Göteborg (Salina Olsson, Hammarby subbed in at 81), Sara Johansson, Djurgården/Älvsjö (subbed out for Therese Sjögran, Malmö FF).
Svensk Fotboll
SVT
TV4 - short TV clip: an interview with Lotta Schelin followed by a few highlights from the Sweden-Norway match

Caroline Seger got most of the post match headlines. She managed to do both a Zlatan Ibrahimovic and a Henrik Larsson goal celebration, which the photographers didn't miss. If she recovers from her head-banging episode she'll be a starter in the 3rd place match against France and seems to be moving nicely towards a spot in the European Championship team. Nor bad for a 19 year old that played her first full international game only a few days ago.
Aftonbladet
Corren
SVT

Finland - France 1-2 (1-0)
Finland lost their third in three attempts, but managed to stay even until 5 minutes from time. Umeå's Anne Mäkinen scored the leader for Finland and played the full match along with team mates Jessica Julin and Sanna Valkonen. Djurgården/Älvsjö's Laura Kalmari also played 90 minutes while Anna-Kaisa Rantanen, Linköping, subbed in after 58 minutes.
foot féminin

USA - Denmark 4-0 (3-0)
KIF Örebro's Kristine Lilly scored two goals and set up a third before leaving the pitch, satisfied I presume, in the 65th minute. Teammate Kate Markgraf played the full 90 minutes in defense.
ussoccer.com

Algarve Cup match-day 2

Sweden - China 2-0 (2-0)
National team coach Marika Domanski Lyfors changed the starting 11 almost completely compared to the Germany match - only Karolina Westberg and Lotta Schelin, who was moved from midfield to attack, remained. Besides Schelin two Linköping youngsters became starters, 19 year old Caroline Seger and 21 year old Maria Karlsson. The rather young team dominated China over the full 90 minutes. China played deep defense and it took more than half an hour before Sweden managed to break through. Frida Östberg, dominating performance in midfield, scored from the edge of the area in the 35th minute and Sara Johansson converted a great pass from Caroline Seger only 4 minutes later. Domanski Lyfors was pleased, "the more since several players have very little international experience".

Sweden's squad: Caroline Jönsson, Malmö FF  - Sara Larsson, Linköping, Karolina Westberg Umeå (subbed at 74 for Hanna Marklund, Sunnanå), Jane Törnqvist, Djurgården/Älvsjö, Sara Thunebro, Djurgården/Älvsjö - Therese Sjögran, Malmö FF (subbed at 80 for Malin Moström, Umeå), Frida Östberg, Umeå, Caroline Seger, Linköping (subbed at 72 for Malin Andersson, Malmö FF), Maria Karlsson, Linköping (subbed at 60 for Anna Sjöström, Umeå) - Sara Johansson, Djurgården/Älvsjö, Lotta Schelin, Kopparbergs/Göteborg (subbed at 65 for Salina Olsson, Hammarby).
Svensk Fotboll
SVT

Aftonbladet focuses on the successfull youngsters in their match coverage. "It's a dream come true - first getting on the squad, the subbing in against Germany and now starting. Of course I'm dreaming about the European Championship too", Caroline Seger says.
Aftonbladet

USA - Finland 3-0 (2-0)
Anne Mäkinen (Umeå) was back from her touch of the flu with a good performance, that wasn't enough against a superior US team. Sanna Valkonen (Umeå), Jessica Julin (Umeå), Anna-Kaisa Rantanen (Linköping) and Laura Kalmari (Djurgården-Älvsjö) also started. KIF Örebro players Kristine Lilly and Kate Markgraf both played the full match for USA, that also featured former Damallsvenskan players Hope Solo, several good saves in goal, and Christie Welsh, scoring the 1-0 and 2-0 goals.
ussoccer.com

Algarve Cup match-day 1

Sweden - Germany 1-2 (0-1)
Nothing new here, Sweden lost to Germany again. The swedish team was almost completely over-run by the germans in the beginning, but managed to work themselves back inte the game. Sara Johansson scored an equaliser for Sweden on an assist from Lotta Schelin, Sweden's player of the match. Since this was the first national team match since the rather meaningless Euro qualifier against Finland early October, when Sweden fielded a mostly second tier team, national team coach Marika Domanski Lyfors thought the play showed some promise: "We're never satisfied with a defeat, but we can feel good about our performance and try to build on that for the upcoming matches"

Sweden's squad: Hedvig Lindahl, Linköping - Hanna Marklund, Sunnanå, Malin Nykvist, Djurgården/Älvsjö, Karolina Westberg, Umeå (subbed at 64 for Jane Törnqvist, Djurgården/Älvsjö), Kristin Bengtsson (Djurgården/Älvsjö) - Lotta Schelin Kopparbergs/Göteborg, Malin Moström, Umeå (subbed at 82 for Frida Östberg, Umeå), Malin Andersson, Malmö FF (subbed at 60 for Caroline Seger, Linköping), Anna Sjöström, Umeå (subbed at 82 for Maria Karlsson, Linköping)- Hanna Ljungberg, Umeå (off injured at 49, Sara Johansson, Djurgården/Älvsjö subbed in), Salina Olsson, Hammarby (subbed out at 60 for Therese Sjögran, Malmö FF).
SVT - this is the report from the swedish news agency TT that most swedish papers published - I don't think any other swedish news outlets have people on the location
Corren - covering the locals
Damfotboll.com
Svensk Fotboll

Hanna Ljungberg had to be carried off the pitch after a violent collision with Germany's goalkeeper Nadine Angerer. It looked worse than it was, though. She won't play against China, but will probably take part in one of the later games. Tabloid Aftonbladet reports that the media people at the english FA, that are responsible for marketing the European Championship, got a real scare when they thought they had lost their biggest poster name. "She's one of the few players who's name people recognise. And she has a very well known last name. Getting her and Freddie together just before the championship would be great", Alex Stone tells the paper.
Aftonbladet
SVT

France - USA 0-1 (0-1)
KIF Örebro's americans Kristine Lilly and Kate Markgraf both played the full 90 minutes as former KIF Örebro player Christie Welsh, now with Olympique Lyonnaise in France, scored the winner for USA.
socceramerica.com
ussoccer.com

Denmark - Finland 4-1 (2-1)
Finland, missing key players like Anne Mäkinen (Umeå IK) and Heidi Kackur (Kopparbergs/Göteborg)due to illness, suffered a heavy loss to the danish team. When Sanna Valkonen, also an Umeå player, has to leave the field after 30 minutes following a collision with her own goalie Finland found themselves in trouble most of the last 60 minutes. Anna-Kaisa Rantanen (Linköping), Jessica Julin (Umeå) and Laura Kalmari (Djurgården/Älvsjö) all played 90 minutes.
Hufvudstadsbladet


Swedish Algarve Cup squad announced

21 players was today named to play for Sweden in the Algarve Cup. Head coach Marika Domanski Lyfors calls it "a good mix between experience and youth" and also likes to stress that this isn't the European Championship squad. "There are still many players competing for a position in that". The team will leave for Portugal on March 6.

We find two debutants, Malin Nykvist and Caroline Seger. The most notable absentees are Victoria Svensson and Josefine Öqvist, both in rehab. The squad:
Goalkeepers: Caroline Jönsson, Malmö FF; Hedvig Lindahl, Linköpings FC; Sofia Lundgren, Umeå IK
Defenders: Kristin Bengtsson, Djurgården/Älvsjö; Sara Larsson, Linköpings FC; Hanna Marklund, Sunnanå SK; Malin Nykvist Djurgården/Älvsjö; Sara Thunebro, Djurgården/Älvsjö; Jane Törnqvist, Djurgården/Älvsjö; Karolina Westberg, Umeå IK
Midfielders: Malin Andersson, Malmö FF; Maria Karlsson, Linköpings FC; Malin Moström, Umeå IK; Caroline Seger, Stattena IF; Therese Sjögran, Malmö FF; Anna Sjöström, Umeå IK; Frida Östberg, Umeå IK
Forwards: Sara Johansson, Djurgården/ Älvsjö; Hanna Ljungberg, Umeå IK; Salina Olsson, Hammarby IF DFF; Lotta Schelin, Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC

Svensk fotboll
Damfotboll.com
SVT

Sanna Frostevall in national team camp

Sanna Frostevall is the first ever Själevad player to be called up for the national team. "I'm gonna take this chance, not everybody gets an opportunity like this", she says. So, will she be in the Algarve Cup squad?
Head coach Marika Domanski Lyfors comments: "The competition for a defender position is tough. But we will in any case be following Sanna in Damallsvenskan."

Örnsköldsviks Allehanda 

35 players called up for national team camp in february

National team head coach Marika Domanski Lyfors has called up 35 players for what essentially is a fitness test February 17-20. You'll  mostly find the usual uspects, but two debutants; defenders Sanna Frostevall, Själevads IK and Therese Stolpe, Mallbackens IF. Follow the links for full list of players.

Svensk fotboll
Damfotboll.com

Player reactions to European Championship draw

Kopparbergs/Göteborg striker Heidi Kackur (Finland) is very happy with the outcome of yesterday's draw for the UEFA European Championships finals. "We can beat any team in the group", she says.

Vasabladet

Umeå IK's Hanna Ljungberg (Sweden) thinks it's a really good draw, at least on paper. But the other teams in Sweden's group have been developing a lot the last years and Hanna issues a special warning for Finland.

"I'm just one big smile", says Jessica Juhlin (Umeå IK and Finland) and continues "This was exactly the draw we wanted".

Västerbottens Folkblad

"It could have been worse", says exiled Malmö FF defender Karolina Westberg (Sweden), now with Umeå IK, to her old hometown paper, but adds: "You have to expect tough opposition in every match when you are playing in the finals."

Sydsvenskan

Josefine Öqvist (Linköpings FC and Sweden) thinks Sweden's group looks good. "There is nothing to complain about. We and Denmark should advance."

Corren


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