Saturday 25 October 2014

Ett - Noll and the Toppers can wear Toppers


Hopperational details
Date & Venue
Saturday 25 October at Ruddalens IP.
Result
Utsikten 1 Kristianstad 0
Competition
Sweden, D1 South (Third Tier)
Hopping
My first game of a short trip to Sweden.  551 on the lifetime list.  Chosen for the chance of a promotion party!
Pre-match preparation
With two games to go, Utsikten sit five points ahead of Örgryte and with a GD nine better.  Therefore, a win at home today will make them mathematically certain of the title, and even a point should be enough in the end.  Örgryte play against Oddevold on Monday evening and will be hoping for an away win for Kristianstad today.  They are already guaranteed a promotion playoff but can only win the title if Utsikten lose both today and next week while they themselves win both remaining games.  Odds are stacked in favour of some title celebrations today before I head to the hotel.

After my arrival, the other pre-match activity was a quick visit to the Volvo museum.  I've had two of them in my lifetime, so I really enjoyed this.  Here's a taste.  Some of them look really angular now, but they are certainly iconic.  The temporary Yappmobile for this trip is a Volvo C40, and I have to say I am impressed.









This match in one sentence
Utsikten just about did enough to get over the line with only minimal drama.
So what?
They head to the second tier - the Superettan - next season.
The drama unfolds
The first continental-type sausage of the tour was consumed, as was some very decent black coffee with pre-2000 rock music over the speakers and a fine display of autumnal trees in the background.  Now bring on the match.

Utsikten got hold of the game from the start and created several openings in the early minutes.  Here's the scene-setter clip - the hosts are in blue.


Niklas Tidstrand, wearing 10, was involved in all these early skirmishes.  André Möllestam, wearing 33 in the visiting defence, was kept very busy but stood out too,  Neither of them have been to a traditional English barber's shop anytime lately, I am guessing.  The first real sniff of goal for Kristianstad came after 14 minutes, but they didn't get too many.

On 20 minutes, Tidstrand led a 4-on-3 break but shot over, but he made amends by taking the set piece from the right-wing that led to the headed winning goal from Robin Jonsson.  The teams had one more clear chance each before the interval.  1-0 at half-time


That's going in for the winning goal
The second half was not the greatest spectacle.  Utsikten got closest to scoring a second, but there were occasional glimpses of the goal for Kristianstad.  I went for a walk around the perimeter to admire all the wooden stands and seating (It's a Hitchin thing).  Here's a clip from the closing stages.


Final score 1-0

There were plenty of celebrations after the final whistle so I think my unofficial calculations are right - Utsikten take the title.  Just look at those golden top hats.





Ground Pix







Match Pix



Something You Don’t Get in the Premier League

Handwritten match announcements on whiteboards

Goalkeeper Top Colour Stats
A ett-noll win for maroon over green.  Updated stats will follow when I am back in the UK!
Learn Swedish Through Football


ett - noll     1-0
lördag     Saturday
dagens match     today's match
målvakter     goalkeepers
tabellen     the table

min svävare är full med ål
This is a running gag, refer to previous overseas hops or Monty Python

What Next?
The provisional plan is for two games tomorrow – GAIS v Hammarby followed by Elfsborg v Djurgården.



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