Big bang in the final
Updated 09.01 | Published 2024-05-01 18.58
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GOTHENBURG. A penalty in extra time was decisive.
Piteå defeated Häcken 1–0 and won the Swedish Cup for the first time ever.
– Our regular penalty shooter was replaced, so there was a bit of a question mark. But I never hesitated, says match hero, substitute Emma Viklund.
Häcken had everything they had in the final once morest Piteå. But despite numerous attack attempts, the ball did not want to go in.
Instead came the late cold shower.
Filippa Curmark got the ball on her hand in the penalty area and referee Tess Olofsson pointed directly to the penalty spot.
There, Emma Viklund was the safety herself when she made it 1-0 with a cross in the 95th minute. She who is far from a regular penalty shooter in Piteå. There, instead, it is always Anam Imo who has stepped forward.
– And she has done incredibly well, so we have never had to think regarding another penalty taker. But now she was replaced, so it is clear that there was a small question mark for who wanted to step forward and take it, says Viklund.
However, she never hesitated.
– No, no, I just want to shoot home the gold. There were many in the team who wanted me to go forward and take it, to feel their support behind me did an incredible amount.
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1 / 2Photo: Michael Erichsen / Bildbyrån
“So damn loyal”
The cup title is Piteå’s first ever and followingwards Viklund and several of his teammates had tears in their eyes.
– We are so fucking loyal to each other. Every practice, every game, we fight for each other all the time. We just want to get better based on the conditions we have in Norrbotten. We show that it doesn’t matter and I am so incredibly proud, says Viklund.
She was substituted in the 53rd minute.
What did Stellan Carlsson say to you? “In and decide!”?
– Haha, “get in and drive”, he said. We had a clear game plan, I just wanted to do the best I can according to the conditions that exist.
Cecilia Edlund says that the team “torn until blood shot out of the eyes”.
– It’s once morest all odds, we shouldn’t have a chance once morest Häcken. But we wear on our bare knees and do everything we can. Then there is faith, it is like David once morest Goliath. It will be incredibly fun to bring the dent to Norrbotten, she tells Sportbladet.
She was replaced in the second half and when she saw that Tess Olofsson was pointing at the penalty spot, she hardly understood what was happening.
– It was almost an out-of-body experience. It was just absolutely insane. Then it was nervous because we were going to put it too, but Emma has nerves of steel and then I actually don’t remember much more. After the final whistle it just exploded. I am so proud of my team.
Three straight final losses
The first half was a war of positions with both teams having their fair share of chances.
In the second half, Häcken’s coach Mak Lind replaced the offensive trio Felicia Schröder, Rosa Kafaji and Monica Jusu Bah in an attempt to break the deadlock. And Häcken probably pressed forward, but without result and instead Viklund’s decision came in extra time.
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full screen Photo: Michael Erichsen / Bildbyrån
