AIK won at Friends arena • Bersant Celina hero

Updated 2024-04-22 09.15 | Published 2024-04-21 15.58

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AIK continues to win at home once morest Djurgården.

Bersant Celina became the hero with a goal and an assist in Sunday’s derby.

– I didn’t expect to play so early, says Celina.

AIK won 2–0 at Friends arena – an arena where they have now won their last four Allsvenskan derbies once morest Djurgården (2–0, 2–0, 1–0 and 1–0).

The big hero was Bersant Celina, who was replaced when Abdihakim Ali got injured following six seconds.

– It’s nice to win. Fantastic to win the derby once morest Djurgården and I think we are in control of the match. At the same time, what happened to Abdihakim is sad. We can only hope that everything goes well for him, says Celina.

Goal by Celina

Celina has experience from, among others, Ligue 1, Eredivisie, Championship and Süper Lig. But has been outside the starting eleven in AIK’s last two matches.

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fullscreen Bersant Celina. Photo: Jesper Zerman / Bildbyrån

During his entrance, he gave answers to speeches following the pokes.

Just over ten minutes into the second half, Celina scored her first goal in the Allsvenskan from distance.

– I get a perfect ball for me. I don’t think anything, but just shoot. I get a perfect hit and it goes in. Absolutely fantastic, says Celina.

He was a little angry before the match.

– All players who are not allowed to start want to play. Then it will be like that. The most important thing is to direct the frustration correctly. And I felt that I might do that and help the team instead of making it worse for me, says Celina.

Assisted by Celina

AIK’s second goal was delicious.

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full screen Pittas celebrate following 2–0. Photo: Maxim Thore / Bildbyrån

After a fine spin from Omar Faraj, Celina received the ball and passed it on to Ioannis Pittas, who chipped in 2–0.

– We press very hard and I am all by myself with the goalkeeper. I look to the left and see that the Pittas are completely free and I’m not as ego as I should be, but felt it was the right fit, says Celina.

What were you thinking when he chipped and it looked like the ball wasn’t going in?

– I almost had a heart attack. Because I didn’t see if the ball was going in or not. But it went in.

Pittas thinks the goal was “cool”.

– Everyone was just waiting for me to put it in and I managed to stay calm. I am very happy, says Pittas and notes:

– The whole arena might have had a heart attack and thought it was on its way out. But it was a cool goal. I don’t think many players can score a goal like that.

Celebrated together

AIK’s coach Henning Berg liked what he saw of Bersant Celina during the match.

– He scores goals and assists, so it was nice. Today he played centrally, and he is a very skillful player on the ball. He can thread balls in, he can shoot. I think he did a good job defensively as well, says Berg.

Celina celebrated her goal with the coach.

– I did not know what to do. I just saw that Henning was looking at me and then I ran out there, says Celina.

AIK now has eight points following four games and Djurgården has seven.

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full screenDepressed in Djurgården. Photo: Maxim Thore / Bildbyrån