League

Margaretaplatsen
Spectators: 7770 (Terracing: 5828, Seating: 1787, VIP seats: 155) The supporters of Al-Norr booed when Småland Utd was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 2 match minutes in a wonderful position. Sven Wennersten didn't get a good kick on the ball. Stig-Arne Harlén hit a great freekick 3 minutes into the match. Al-Norr's Patrik Åström got a good chance for a goal in the 4th minute, but he totally mistimed the shot and it went over the crossbar. After having played for 5 minutes, Sven-Ove Lövgren managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. Småland Utd's supporters crossed their fingers, but Sven-Ove Lövgren was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. If Frank Berggren had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 6th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. In the 7th match minute, Al-Norr was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Dennis Pihl to maneuver through the defense. Joacim Hultman showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Dennis Pihl in the 11th minute of the match. The audience was convinced that Frank Berggren's extremely hard shot when he got free in front of the goal was going in, but Mårten Ekström was relentless in the 20th minute of the game. Joacim Hultman made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Dimitris Kolleris in the 22nd minute of play. Al-Norr's Mårten Ekström played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Frank Berggren in the 24th minute of play. After 25 minutes Al-Norr's defender was forced to head the ball over the line for a corner. It was Gösta Gustafsson who took care of the corner kick. Paulino Mendez might have been able to make a better finish in the 29th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Joacim Hultman. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Paulino Mendez ran back to his position shaking his head. In the 30th minute, Christian Östensson hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. After 31 played minutes, Småland Utd's Gösta Gustafsson shot from a long distance, and at first it looked like the ball was going into the goal, but the goalkeeper Mårten Ekström came through and got his fingers on the ball before it flew over the goal line. He then quickly gripped the ball tighter before the forwards in Småland Utd reached it. Frank Berggren sent away a hard shot on goal in the 33rd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. With a couple of smart ball manuevers Frank Berggren in the 35th managed to get into a good position. With a left leg Mårten Ekström saved Al-Norr from getting behind. Christian Waller hit a great freekick 36 minutes into the match. Frank Berggren scored 0-2 in the 36th match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Mårten Ekström, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. An unexpectedly hard shot by Sven-Ove Lövgren in the 44th minute of play forced Al-Norr's goalkeeper Mårten Ekström to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Joacim Hultman showed brilliant goalkeeper skills when he caught the ball after a hard shot from Dennis Pihl in the 45th minute of the match. The Al-Norr players were disheartened as they walked off the pitch after the first half. Småland Utd were winning 1-2.

The players of the home team were most fresh-looking when they entered the field to play the second half. Frank Berggren was the one to do the kick off. Joacim Hultman made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Christian Waller in the 51st minute of play. With a little luck, Al-Norr's Mårten Ekström got control of the ball when Frank Berggren tried to sneak it across the goal line. A collision led to Småland Utd getting a freekick after 57 minutes play. Göran Ahlén hit a great ball. Patrik Åström kicked well hit freekick during the 58th minute of the match. Gösta Gustafsson hit a great freekick 62 minutes into the match. Frank Berggren fired away a screaming shot towards the goal in the 66th minute, but the shot went just over the crossbar without Mårten Ekström having to interfere. Al-Norr made a substitution. Fredric Collin replaced Paulino Mendez. Stefan Giertych hit a great freekick 68 minutes into the match. Frank Berggren came free with the goalkeeper in the 69th minute of the match, and shot straight on target. The shot was a little too simple and Mårten Ekström could save by the left post. When the match clock showed 71 minutes, the score became 1-3 when Frank Berggren sped through Al-Norr's defense and sent away a curving shot that went into the net to the right of Mårten Ekström. In the 76th minute, Frank Berggren reached a very good position and smashed the ball with a huge effort into the net, just to the left of Mårten Ekström. The goal made the score 1-4. If Gösta Gustafsson had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 88th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. The away crowd were delighted with the way their team had played and cheered loudly when the final whistle sounded. Småland Utd walked away with the win, even though the match was close until the end.