Rosengård cup champion after extra time and controversial goal

National team captain Caroline Seger started unexpectedly on the bench.

It looked for a while to drop FC Rosengård against rival BK Häcken.

Perhaps the 37-year-old’s calm on the pitch was needed at the start of the final of the Swedish Cup in Malmö.

The match was only nine minutes old when Häcken took the lead.

EC-current Johanna Rytting Kaneryd broke the opponents’ defense in their former home arena. Rosengårdsbackarna Charlotte Grant and Gudrun Arnardottir did not join in at all, and suddenly it was Häckenledning at Malmö IP.

Häcken had reached the cup final as the reigning cup champion after 3-0 against Eskilstuna last year. In 2020, the pandemic canceled the final, but also in 2019 Häcken won (then under the name Göteborg FC).

Looking at the match picture in the first half, it was easy to believe that the road to the third in a row would be easy. Häcken’s Mille Gejl Jensen had a heavy and Elin Rubensson, for the day striker, threatened forward – even though Rosengård also had chances.

In the second half, however, the Swedish champions came out as another team, but still without Seger, which Rosengård coach Renée Slegers chose to rest.

– We are relieving her today, Slegers told SVT without giving any further details about any injuries.

– Victory is an important leader for us, everyone knows that, but we have more leaders in our squad.

The latter appeared in the second half.

Rosengård pressed hard for a draw, Häcken’s national team goalkeeper had a lot to do and in the 62nd minute also came 1-1.

Goal scorer: 17-year-old super talent Bea Sprung, who got on a giant shot that went into the crossbar.

Suddenly it was Rosengård who had weathered the cup title. With 85 minutes played, Sprung nearly put the visitors another one up as he broke through in the middle and fired from just outside the box, but his shot passed just over the bar. Also substitute Stefanie Sanders was inches from 2-1, but Häcken was hardly harmless.

In the 92nd minute, national team midfielder Filippa Curmark was a rib hit from becoming a cup hero – but after 1-1 in full time, the final went to extra time.

The extension was dramatic and hot-tempered. It had barely started before Häcken coach Robert Vilahamn received a red card and was forced to leave the bench.

In the 109th minute then came the controversial victory goal. Sanders got the situation from a narrow angle, Falk saved on the goal line – but referee Sara Persson signaled for goal.

Hedge players protested wildly and Falk shouted his anger. On the TV reruns, it was doubtful if the whole ball was inside, but the goal was a fact.

After 115 minutes, Caroline Seger came on for Rosengård. And that was enough all the way.

Rosengård won the first cup title since 2018.

The text is updated.