Svensson sparks Swedish joy

By Paul Saffer at Meadow Park

A Victoria Svensson goal late in the first half ensured that Djurgården/Älvsjö kept up Sweden's record of having a finalist in all four seasons of the UEFA Women's Cup.

Arsenal denied
Arsenal LFC had drawn 1-1 in Solna eight days ago, and in front of a packed crowd of 1,808 at the home of non-league Borehamwood FC were confident of going one better than their semi-final appearance of 2002/03. But the team that ended the two-year European reign of domestic rivals Umeå IK were always the better team tonight, though the English champions did give them a scare in the last ten minutes, fired up after having Leanne Champ sent off.

James brought in
Whereas Arsenal kept the same starting lineup that had performed so well last week, visiting coach Mikael Söderman rang the changes. Therese Brogårde came into defence to mark Arsenal's first-leg goalscorer Julie Fleeting, Linda Lekander stepped into midfield and Venus James was brought in to lead the Djurgården/Älvsjö line, with support from Sara Johansson, Svensson, Linda Fagerström and the experienced Kristin Bengtsson.

Pealling threat

Johansson rampant
However, with Fleeting generally marked out of the game, it was Djurgården/Älvsjö who began to have the better of the play, Johansson rampant down the visitors' right. Notably, she had a 24th-minute shot blocked after being set up by a mazy Linda Fagerström dribble.

Svensson success
What proved the winning goal soon arrived, and it was Johansson who was the creator. When Arsenal failed to clear following a cross she picked up the ball in the area and whipped in a cross to which Svensson applied the subtlest of touches. It was enough to beat Emma Byrne in the Arsenal goal.

Brief hiatus
Djurgården/Älvsjö nearly managed a second soon after the break, Bengtsson making a great run and shooting past the post. The game was halted for more than a quarter of an hour on the 56-minute mark due to floodlight failure, but it did not put the away team off their stride and Johansson, now the spearhead having swapped roles with James, came agonisingly close as she chipped the ball wide after being sent clear by Svensson.

Champ dismissed
Indeed, Arsenal were being forced back deep into their half even though it was they that needed to score, and Byrne pulled off a good save from a Jane Törnqvist header. With not much more than ten minutes left, Arsenal suffered a further blow when Champ received a straight red card for a lunge at Svensson, but that seemed to awaken the home team and their fans, Fleeting soon making Aström work.

Last chance
Now Djurgården/Älvsjö were having to defend deep, and for a moment it looked like extra-time would be needed when Arsenal captain Faye White was supplied by 17-year-old substitute Lianne Sanderson, but the defender's shot flashed wide and with it her team's chances went.

Next challenge
Söderman's team now meet 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam or SK Trondheims-Ørn, with the German team 4-0 up ahead of Saturday's second leg. The Djurgården/Älvsjö coach, who stated that his team had improved vastly from the first leg, said of their expected final opponents: "We don't know much about them but we hope our spies in Norway can tell us something."