Before the season, most people agreed that the match between Djurgården and Häcken would be a top match. When the teams were pitted against each other on Wednesday evening, the reigning champions BK Häcken were in third place in the Allsvenskan table. Djurgården IF was six points behind, in seventh place.
Benched the superstars – started the super promise
Before the match, Djurgården chose to field an eleven where neither Victor Edvardsen nor Magnus Eriksson were included.
The latter was chosen to be replaced with the super talent Lucas Bergvall, 17, who for the first time in his career had to start an Allsvenskan match.
Both Bergvall and Djurgården impressed right from the start. Djurgården applied tough pressure that Häcken had difficulty controlling. In this way, Djurgården got hold of the match.
However, there were no goals in the first half. Starting debutant Bergvall, on the other hand, was on hand to put in a goal in the 40th minute.
Super save by Widell Zetterström
The second half started in the same way as the first. The difference was that Häcken was the better team now. After 55 minutes played, their very best position so far in the game came.
A cross from Häcken’s right side reached Lars Olden Larsen. The header was good, and went towards the goal. But Jacob Widell Zetterström stood there and saved.
Hero of the match: Berg
But it wasn’t Häcken who took the lead. In the 70th minute, Djurgården received a penalty, when the referee blew for a handball in Häcken’s penalty area. The replays showed that the penalty was doubtful, as it was not possible to see if the ball hit Valgeir Fridriksson’s hand.
– I get frustrated to death by this. It is not good enough, said Häcken’s coach Per Mathias Högmo to Discovery +.
At the press conference, a disappointed Häcken coach developed his reasoning.
– It hits Valgeir in the chest. You can feel the frustration and despair that he has that situation against him. You look at where the judge is positioned. He can’t see it. Still, he takes a chance. I feel that I need to say it outright: We give Swedish judges incredibly poor conditions to develop. I want to go as far as to say that we are simply destroying the judges in Sweden, said Högmo and stated:
– It was a wrong decision, but it would have been corrected if you had been mature enough to enter this country and make sure that we move on.
Fredriksson was also very disappointed – and he too thought that it might be time to introduce VAR in Sweden.
– Not a chance that it was a penalty. As simple as that. The referee probably knows he made a mistake. The ball did not hit the hand but the stomach.
It is probably the second controversial verdict in a short time now.
– Yes. I don’t even know what to say. Maybe it’s time for Swedish football to introduce VAR so that the referees get help. It will be difficult for those on the field. I know that at least the ball didn’t touch the hand.
You want to insert WHERE?
– I mean, if it continues like this, why not? We might have dropped six points now. We are fighting to defend the SM gold, it does not help us to lose so many points in the last two games. I was very angry after the verdict.
Thomas Lagerlöf: “We are better than Häcken”
Oliver Berg certainly stepped forward and put the ball in the net. 1–0 Djurgården and Berg’s first in the Allsvenskan for the club.
– A fairly even football match in the second half. After the penalty, we have a clear advantage in scoring chances. We don’t manage to close out the game, but the players are doing very well. They face a good team with many skilled players, says Djurgården’s coach Thomas Lagerlöf.
The match ended 1–0 to Djurgården.
– We are better than Häcken, come out fantastically well in this match. Good energy, good quality, good pressing game, good rhythm in our attacking game, says Lagerlöf.
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