Djurgården/Älvsjö lift Swedish Cup

UEFA Women’s Cup semi-finalists Djurgården/Älvsjö may have ended the Allsvenskan season 22 points behind the champions Umeå IK, but they gained some revenge on their arch-rivals with a 3-1 win in the Swedish Cup final.

Umeå forwards subdued
Djurgården/Älvsjö lost 7-0 to Umeå in the league recently but stepped up a gear at the Rasunda stadium to retain the trophy. And their defence, marshalled by Jenny Curtsdotter and Therese Brogårde, kept Hanna Ljungberg and Marta subdued.

Two goals ahead
Brogårde even gave Djurgården/Älvsjö a 27th-minute lead when she got on the end of Sara Thunebro's corner. Umeå, beaten 2-1 by Djurgården/Älvsjö in the 2004 final, pushed for an equaliser but twice had efforts cleared off the line. On 36 minutes it was 2-0 as Thunebro found Victoria Svensson and the Sweden striker’s strong shot went under the bar.

Victory sealed
The second half was a competitive affair between the two dominant forces in Swedish women's football. However, Marta was injured after an aerial challenge and replaced in the 68 minute. Seconds later Sara Johansson all wrapped up the match for Djurgården/Älvsjö when she was first to a rebound off Umeå goalkeeper Sofia Lundgren. With the game over entering the final three minutes, Anna Sjöström struck for the league champions - the first goal conceded by Djurgården/Älvsjö in their cup campaign.

'Feels great'
Svensson, who is set to lead the Djurgården/Älvsjö line in their UEFA Women's Cup semi-final against the side that beat them to the trophy last season, 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam, on 20/27 November, said the victory would raise morale for their two-legged European tie. "It feels great and this will give us confidence ahead of the semi-finals," she said.