Umeå retain crown in style

Umeå IK retained the UEFA Women's Cup as goals from Marta, Frida Östberg, captain Malin Moström and two from Anna Sjöström overwhelmed hosts 1.FFC Frankfurt to complete an 8-0 aggregate win.

Frankfurt start brightly
Trailing 3-0 from the first leg, Frankfurt - who beat Umeå to win the inaugural edition in 2001/02 before losing to the eventual victors in the semi-finals last season - started brightly, pressing forwards in numbers at every opportunity. Umeå goalkeeper Sofia Lundgren had to be alert in the seventh minute to dash out of her area and clear from the advancing Birgit Prinz.

Opportunity lost
Umeå were content to guard their three-goal cushion by defending deep and rely on the speed and trickery of Brazilian international Marta to offer a threat on the counterattack. The opening passage of play took place almost exclusively in Umeå’s half and Stefanie Weichelt wasted a golden opportunity to bring Frankfurt back into the final by dragging wide after being put clear into the box in the 21st minute.

Marta on target
The Swedish side punished Frankfurt’s profligacy moments later as they broke quickly and Marta combined well with Sjöström to work an opening to send a low shot under goalkeeper Marleen Wissink.

Prinz unlucky
Frankfurt rallied as they sought the goal their early dominance deserved, but Prinz could not believe her luck as her powerful angled drive smashed off the base of the post and bounced to safety. The German side were still cursing their bad fortune when Umeå launched another swift break which ended with Östberg expertly drilling the ball past the despairing Wissink on the stroke of half-time.

Fatal blow
Frankfurt began strongly in the second half and the tireless Prinz was again unlucky to see her diving header flash across the goal. But the German side's hopes of turning the final in their favour were dealt a fatal blow four minutes after the restart when Laura Kalmari broke down the right and cut inside to present Sjöström with the easiest of finishes.

Umeå take control
Umeå started to take control of the match with Marta causing problems every time she got hold of the ball. Wissink denied the striker with her legs before beating away a point-blank effort from Sjöström two minutes later.

Wissink beaten
Wissink's work was not done though, and she again thwarted Marta with an outstretched foot, but could do nothing to stop Moström’s rising shot on 68 minutes following more good work by Marta. The Frankfurt goalkeeper stopped another Marta effort with her legs again two minutes later, but Sjöström was on hand to bundle the rebound home.

Marta denied again
Marta's finishing let her down once more in the 74th minute as Wissink blocked a goal-bound effort with her legs for an incredible fourth time. That was to be Marta’s last chance to add to the two goals she scored in the first leg and a solitary strike in this match, as she was substituted.

No consolation
Umeå's attacks lacked the cutting edge in her absence and it was Frankfurt who finished the game strongest as Prinz burst forward again, but her shot went wide to deny the German side a consolation.