For totally different reasons the friendly between Sweden and Germany in Örebro this evening became a game where the result mattered next to nothing, at least for most Swedish football fans.
This morning, one of the country´s rare World Cup medalists, Klas Ingesson, passed away after a few years' illness. He was an admired teammate, as a player, coach and manager. It´s just over two weeks since the death of Brommapojkarna´s captain Pontus Segerström (see "A Day of Sorrow"), and just a few days since the events in South Africa. October is very dark this year.
Read more about Ingesson here (The Guardian).
Immensely more uplifting is what happened on the pitch. Two great Swedish records were set. Lotta Schelin of Olympique Lyonnais became the national team´s best goal-scorer in history with her 73rd goal, surpassing Hanna Ljungberg. Therese Sjögran of FC Rosengård made her 200th appearance in the national jersey. This is more than any man, and puts her in top 15-20 or so among women.
This post will not contain any opinion or arguments.
Tonight it suffices to say:
Congratulations Lotta and Therese!
Rest in peace Klabbe!
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Sunday, October 26, 2014
New icons in Central America
We are used to see The United States qualifying, but today I want to bring some attention to Las Ticas. They have copied the achievement of their compatriots La Sele or Los Ticos. If you still need some clues on what I´m going on about, I give you the heroes from Fortaleza and Recife: Keylor Navas, Cristian Bolaños and Celso Borges.
On Friday night Costa Rica perhaps got some new icons when their women´s national team qualified for the World Cup for the first time ever. After a 1-1 draw against Trinidad & Tobago the match went to a penalty shoot-out. Katherine Alvarado, Carol Sánchez and Wendy Acosta all scored while the goalkeeper Dinnia Diaz, amazingly enough, saved three penalties in a row, securing the historic victory.
The come-back from a knee injury that almost made her quit football and the saving of three penalties (quite week ones, but still) in a decisive WC qualifier is more than enough to make Diaz a proper "Heroina".
I hope Costa Rica and its football federation will support the ladies on their road to Canada to give them a chance to upset the big countries like the men did last summer. The game gains from old champions being challenged, and young girls in any country can get strength from the success of female athletes in male-dominated sports.
Viva Las Ticas!
Diaz´s saves (video)
On Friday night Costa Rica perhaps got some new icons when their women´s national team qualified for the World Cup for the first time ever. After a 1-1 draw against Trinidad & Tobago the match went to a penalty shoot-out. Katherine Alvarado, Carol Sánchez and Wendy Acosta all scored while the goalkeeper Dinnia Diaz, amazingly enough, saved three penalties in a row, securing the historic victory.
The come-back from a knee injury that almost made her quit football and the saving of three penalties (quite week ones, but still) in a decisive WC qualifier is more than enough to make Diaz a proper "Heroina".
I hope Costa Rica and its football federation will support the ladies on their road to Canada to give them a chance to upset the big countries like the men did last summer. The game gains from old champions being challenged, and young girls in any country can get strength from the success of female athletes in male-dominated sports.
Viva Las Ticas!
Diaz´s saves (video)
Monday, October 13, 2014
A day of sorrow
This post will be a little more personal than usual.
After several weeks of inactivity I had planned to write something about the ongoing Euro qualifiers. It could have been some words on the soon-to-be record holder Wayne Rooney or the injured Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Perhaps more in the style of this blog, it could have been about Ebba Wieder, Camille Surdez and the other young women struggling to qualify for the U17 Championship.
However, this day became a sad day in Swedish football. The Stockholm club IF Brommapojkarna, my club, announced that the captain of the top tier men´s team, Pontus Segerström had passed away during the night, 33 years old. It was just this August the brain tumour that ultimately ended his short life was discovered. He leaves behind a wife and two kids.
He also leaves behind a club in deep sorrow. Pontus Segerström was not just an ordinary player or even an ordinary captain. He was one of few "old" players in a club mostly consisting of youngsters between 18 and 24. Several referred to him as something of a father rather than a brother.
It has since long been clear that Brommapojkarna will be relegated this year. As always when tragedy strikes, the outcome of matches and series lose in importance. It sometimes even feels meaningless to play at all.
Still, we know that the remaining players WILL play again. Pontus´ teammates will face AIK on Sunday. The same day I will myself coach my 10 years old "Boys from Bromma" in this year´s last competition. We will play, because Pontus would never had wanted anyone in his club to refrain from playing the game he loved for his sake, and we will dedicate our efforts to him.
Later we will keep on playing week after week, year after year. Most of the time, we will struggle, win and lose without giving him a thought. Now and then, though, when the sun shines on the football fields in the western suburbs of Stockholm, his spirit will strengthen us and lead us to new victories.
IF Brommapojkarna (official website)
After several weeks of inactivity I had planned to write something about the ongoing Euro qualifiers. It could have been some words on the soon-to-be record holder Wayne Rooney or the injured Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Perhaps more in the style of this blog, it could have been about Ebba Wieder, Camille Surdez and the other young women struggling to qualify for the U17 Championship.
However, this day became a sad day in Swedish football. The Stockholm club IF Brommapojkarna, my club, announced that the captain of the top tier men´s team, Pontus Segerström had passed away during the night, 33 years old. It was just this August the brain tumour that ultimately ended his short life was discovered. He leaves behind a wife and two kids.
He also leaves behind a club in deep sorrow. Pontus Segerström was not just an ordinary player or even an ordinary captain. He was one of few "old" players in a club mostly consisting of youngsters between 18 and 24. Several referred to him as something of a father rather than a brother.
It has since long been clear that Brommapojkarna will be relegated this year. As always when tragedy strikes, the outcome of matches and series lose in importance. It sometimes even feels meaningless to play at all.
Still, we know that the remaining players WILL play again. Pontus´ teammates will face AIK on Sunday. The same day I will myself coach my 10 years old "Boys from Bromma" in this year´s last competition. We will play, because Pontus would never had wanted anyone in his club to refrain from playing the game he loved for his sake, and we will dedicate our efforts to him.
Later we will keep on playing week after week, year after year. Most of the time, we will struggle, win and lose without giving him a thought. Now and then, though, when the sun shines on the football fields in the western suburbs of Stockholm, his spirit will strengthen us and lead us to new victories.
IF Brommapojkarna (official website)
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