Linköping beat Umeå for Swedish Cup

Caroline Seger and Jessica Landström got the goals as Linköpings FC reclaimed the Swedish Women's Cup by beating fellow UEFA Women's Champions League round of 16 contenders Umeå IK 2-0 in Tuesday's final at Folkungavallen, just as they did last year.

Seger strikes
Linköping took the lead against the run of play in the 15th minute with their first attempt on goal. Landström's powerful header from a corner was stopped by Umeå goalkeeper Ulla-Karin Rönnlund, but midfielder Seger was on hand to tap in the rebound from a metre out. The home side dominated from then on and Umeå were further handicapped when key striker Ramona Bachmann hobbled off on 20 minutes with a recurrence of her thigh muscle problem.

'Well-executed'
Linköping sealed their win, and their third cup triumph in four years, soon after the break with Seger this time sending Landström clear of the Umeå defence to make it 2-0. In each of Linköping's recent triumphs in 2006, 2008 and now 2009, Umeå have been on the losing end. "It was a well-executed match from our side," Linköping coach Magnus Wikman said. "Our full-backs played a very good game against their wingers."

Title race
Linköping and Umeå are also vying to win this year's Damallsvenskan. Leaders Linköping, looking for a maiden championship, are three points clear of Umeå, aiming for a fifth straight title, three games from the end. The two teams meet in Linköping on 31 October in the penultimate round, with Kopparbergs/Göteborg FC are level with Umeå and LdB FC Malmö two points back; the leading pair will enter the 2010/11 UEFA Women's Champions League. In this season's round of 16, Linköping are up against reigning European champions FCR 2001 Duisburg and Umeå face Russia's WFC Rossiyanka, both sides away on 4 November and at home a week later.