Two first half goals saw BK Häcken secure a crucial win over Hammarby in the Damallsvenskan on Saturday to take a massive step towards securing the Swedish title.
Goals from Anna Anvegård and Tabitha Tandell were enough for the win, which puts Mak Lind’s charges four points clear at the top with just four matches to play. The victory came despite a second half resurgence from the visitors who were unable to find a response on the score sheet.
In Sweden‘s top flight, the Damallsvenskan, the title race has been tight all season, with a consistent top three. With the end of the season on the near horizon, today’s top of the table clash had been billed as an unofficial title decider.
Both sides were in action midweek in the UEFA Europa Cup, BK Häcken beat Polish side GKS Katowice 4-0 at home. Hammarby also won beating Norwegian side SK Brann 4-1 at home in Stockholm. Both sides went into today’s match knowing the result could have massive implications on who lifts the trophy next month.
The Line ups
BKH: Falk, Bergström, Sandbech, Luik, Wijk, Sanvig, Wickenheiser, Tindell, Anvegård, Jusu Bah, Schröder
HIF: Loeck, Reidy, Carlsson, Bragstad, Holmberg, Joramo, Miyagawa, Hasund, Blakstad, Lenartsson, Wangerheim
The Action
The opening 10 minutes were ping pong in nature, with both sides trying to stake their claim early on. It was the home side who struck first. With 12 minutes gone, a well worked move down the left from BK Häcken saw them burst into the box. Sofia Reidy pulled more centrally and not on her marker, taking advantage, Tabitha Tindell slipped the ball into the net with relative ease.
Häcken had the ball in the back of the net again just 10 minutes later. Some more poor defending saw Melina Loeck off her line too early. Whilst the first issue was reasonably dealt with, Häcken managed to bounce the ball around the Hammarby defence before Anna Anvegård stormed the box. She skipped past several Bajen defenders and was able to get her shot off on goal, with the ball sailing past an unsettled Loeck.
Hammarby strengthened as the game went off. The Stockholm based challengers came close to reducing the arrears when Häcken Jennifer Falk made an error, gifting the ball to Hammarby in her own box. The double chance was well saved by the Swedish number one and a block from a Häcken defender denied Hammarby a goal back.
Hammarby continued their dominance in the second half. Häcken were not without chances of their own some but good blocks and a smart save from Loeck denied them. Likewise, Hammarby were without a goal as the clock counted down and the Häcken defence stood strong. There were shouts for a penalty for a foul on Hamnmarby’s Anna Jøsendal but the referee waved the protestest away. Häcken saw off Hammarby to secure a vital victory, which is a hammer blow to their rivals title ambitions.
Why did Hammarby change a good thing against Häcken?
Since the return of the play after the summer, Martin Sjögren has experimented with his backline more than any other part of his team. Switching between a back three with wing backs and a back four, Hammarby’s backline has had many changes. With these changes and interchanging personnel, it wasn’t that much of a surprise to see another new alternation for this vital game against Häcken.
However, with both goals coming from mistakes at the back, this match was most certainly not the time to continue the theme of change. With Julie Blakstad playing in midfield for the first time this season and with Reidy starting in the left back position Hammarby looked defensively unsettled.
Blakstad has developed into a brilliant attacking full back this season and had developed an acute understanding of when to attack and when to pull back down the wing. It felt at times in the first half that Hammarby missed her creative abilities down the wing with her operating in midfield instead. It was an obvious choice to move the Norwegian back to defence in the second half.
Ping Pong ball from Häcken and Hammarby
Top of the table clashes are usually games of tight margins and close games. Despite Häcken’s two goal lead, this game truly was like a game of ping pong. Both sides had their moments of dominance in the game. After the second half, it can only be said Hammarby took hold of the game and reduced Häcken to chances on the counter. As a result, both backlines were forced into some big blocks.
Despite their growth in the game, it was as if the early mistakes had festered in Hammarby’s players and they couldn’t make anything of their dominance. Clear cut chances were few and far between, with players taking shots from range or cheap attempts in a desperate way of trying to get a goal on the board. For Häcken, Hammarby’s dominance limited their attempts. Even when they did find themselves in their final third, it was as if they had been given too much time to make anything of it, with the Bajen defence already one step ahead.
Whilst the second half was less eventful than the first, it was a truly entertaining game. It was clear that this was two top sides going against one another. Like many of the games between the two sides in recent years, it was intense and hard fought. It was a good top of the table clash, with both sides playing with everything they had. It was a true example of the talent the Damallsvenskan has to offer and what brilliant football is being played in Sweden.
Both sides will play the away legs of their Europa Cup games midweek before they continue the final games of the season. Häcken will travel to Stockholm to play Brommpojkarna whilst Hammarby are away in Vittsjö next weekend.
