A costly appetizer

LdB FC v. KIF Örebro, Supercupen, Malmö IP
27 mars 2011
Weather: the sun is shining but the commentators are buttoned up tightly

Supercupen is the first 'serious' game of the season, pitting last year's league winner (LdB FC Malmö) against last year's cup winner (KIF Örebro).

And this year it may not have been worth it. Before even ten minutes have ticked off the clock, KIF Örebro's Icelandic goalkeeper Maria Björg Agustsdottir collides with LdB's Elena Sadiku. Agustsdottir lies on the field for a few moments, and the referee signals for a trainer; the trainer signals to the bench almost immediately that a substitution will be needed. The substitute, Nina Fellbrandt, looks surprised, and can be seen on the sideline hurriedly tugging on a jersey. She was obviously quite ready to play, though, and had a fine game, stopping several shots including a free-kick daisy-cutter by LdB star Manon Melis.

The game is not a great one, but pretty good for a first game of the year. After a scoreless first half, things pick up in the second. Örebro scores in the 56th, when Hanna Ågren wins herself a ball not far from LdB's goal; a teammate gets the rebound and passes it back to her, and she takes it close to the end line and score with a beautiful delicate curving chip over LdB's keeper. The shot is replayed several times, and the commentators admire it. I choose to view the goal as a little bit of karmic payback for LdB, as only a minute before LdB's Nilla Fischer can clearly be seen to have committed a hand ball in her own box.

Play goes up another notch as LdB push to equalize. LdB striker Sara Storck replaces Sadiku in the 72nd, and she scores off a rebound from a corner kick in the 78th. I'm more than a little pleased by this, as I've been a fan of Storck's ever since the Bad Old Days (2008) when she dressed herself in Bälinge black. I am therefore extremely displeased when, in added time, she collides with Örebro's keeper. LdB's Melis scores on the play but Storck stays down in the back of the net. Her teammates, who had started celebrating the winning goal, come trotting over, and call for the trainer. It doesn't look good; Storck is clearly in a good deal of pain, and out comes the stretcher.

Final score in goals: 2-1
Final score in serious-looking injuries to valuable players: 1-1

Was this game, which is only meant to whet our appetite for season's main course, worth it? At the moment, it does not feel like it, but I'll wait for the official injury reports.