Double delight for Djurgården/Älvsjö

By Jan Juhlin

UEFA Women's Cup semi-finalists Djurgården/Älvsjö defeated Umeå IK 2-1 to win the Swedish Cup final and complete the domestic double.

Fourth meeting
It was the arch-rivals' fourth meeting in a fortnight, with Umeå winning the first game 6-2 in the league - having already conceded the title for the second year running - and then Djurgården/Älvsjö prevailing in both legs of their UEFA Women's Cup quarter-final to oust the holders. And Thomas Dennerby oversaw another victory today in his last game in charge of Djurgården/Älvsjö before taking up a new role as assistant coach of Sweden.

Victory complete
Half an hour into the final Sara Johansson claimed the opening goal for Djurgården/Älvsjö after a one-two with Victoria Svensson. Six minutes later the lead increased as a Svensson shot rebounded for Kristin Bengtsson to score. On 65 minutes Marta pulled one back for Umeå - winners of this competition for the last three years - but they could not fashion an equaliser.

Dennerby delight
Dennerby said: "The match looked pretty much like the last two games against Umeå. We keep it tight and work well as a unit and Umeå cannot really break us down." His team return to European action against Arsenal LFC in a two-legged semi-final tie scheduled for April.

'Every loss is tough'
Umeå coach Andrée Jeglertz said: "As soon as a team like Umeå, who are not used to losing, loses you start thinking about it. Every loss is tough and you start wondering what you' re doing wrong. In the last three games we have got off to bad starts, and today was no exception. Our first half was appalling."