Hammarby fell surprisingly at home against IFK Värnamo.
The guests won 2-1 after a decisive goal from Hampus Näsström in the 68th minute.
MATCH REPORT: This was FD’s reporting from the meeting
Delicious tribute to Mads Fenger on Tele2 with a nice and worthy tifo for the Dane, this as he played his 200th game in green and white today. Beautiful pressure on the stands.
Once the match kicked off, it took until the eighth minute before things heated up.
Djukanovic fixed a free kick near the left corner flag and when everyone expected a post, captain Besara tested a cheeky shot by pulling a shot towards the far cross. The ball went wide. Smart and quick-thinking by Hammarby’s big star.
In the 21st minute, Boudah sent a projectile towards the goal. The ball looked like it might sail into the crossbar, but instead went narrowly wide of Rasheed’s right post.
Hammarby the better team in the beginning of the match on a chilly and rain in the air-Tele2. The weather was significantly better at the same arena yesterday when Hammarby’s women’s team crushed Djurgården 4-1 in a sunny and 23-degree Stockholm.
If Besara and Boudah showed evidence of good pressure in the box, it was not the same hard shot that Djukanovic sent away in the 25th minute. The ball straight to Rasheed in a good position in the penalty area, this after propaganda football from Hammarby in the offensive half of the field.
The remainder of the first half was rather subdued and uneventful.
The visitors’ Gustav Engvall, whose team before the meeting was heavily tipped for defeat, said this about the first half to Discovery during the break.
– I think we are involved, we create dangerous situations. We’re experimenting a bit today, as you can see, and I think it’s working well. We get the ball into good areas.
The TV channel also spoke to Mads Fenger after the first half, which was touched by ten feet before kick-off.
– Unbelievable. I don’t usually show my feelings but there I felt the tears come,
In the 50th minute, Värnamo surprisingly took the lead with 1-0. Engvall made a good pass to Bergh, who gained space before shooting the ball in behind Dovin.
Engvall then got an almost identical position a few minutes later, but the ball then went outside Dovin’s right post.
In the 58th minute, Värnamo hit the post after a pass from Engvall. Bajen pressed at home and also booed by the crowd after the post hit. Hammarby fans not happy with their team – and rightfully so.
In the 61st minute, Hammarby’s goalkeeper Dovin was forced to make a sharp save on a shot from outside.
From nowhere, in the middle of Värnamo’s pressure, Hammarby equalised. A nice pass to an advancing Pinas led to the equaliser. Pinas took the ball down on his chest and lifted deliciously in 1-1,
In the 67th minute, Värnamo should have scored 2-1, but a great save by Dovin saved Bajen again.
Instead, it was 2-1 to Värnamo on the subsequent corner when Näsström headed the ball into the net. Not even Dovin could stand in the way then.
In the 71st minute, Värnamo again hit the post when Engvall curled the ball towards the far post. Hammarby’s second half miserable.
Hammarby then got a little pressure and the sub Fredrik Hammar tried to curl the ball into the far cross, but the ball went wide in the 81st minute.
In the 91st minute, Kurtulus, who played up to Pina’s 1-1 goal, had a good shot from outside the penalty area, but Rasheed saved.
IFK Värnamo won 2-1 and Hammarby was booed by the home crowd.
Startelvorna
Hammarby IF: Dovin – Skoglund, Kurtulus, Fenger, Pinas – Karlsson, Tekie – Johansson Schellhas, Besara, Djukanovic – Boudah.
IFK Värnamo: Rasheed – Winsth, Larsson, Hasic, Lohikangas – Adjei, Näström, Wenderson – Engvall, Johnbosco Kalu, Bergh.
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