Lethal Ljungberg devastates Dutch

In-form strikers
Ljungberg only marginally outscored her Brazilian team-mate Marta, who struck twice for the Swedish outfit while Anna Sjöström completed a miserable night for the Dutch side, who will have found Shirley Smith’s late goal of little consolation. Without suspended captain Gilanne Louwaars, Saestum never really got going against a side blessed with two particularly in-form strikers.

Early lead
Ljungberg opened the scoring after just eight minutes when she pounced on a poor clearance from the Dutch defence. Saestum rallied briefly as Joniek Bonnes, and Lisanne Vermeulen both went close, the latter hitting the crossbar after 25 minutes. But two minutes before the break Marta finished off a fine team move to double her side’s lead.

Second-half domination
After the break it was one-way traffic as Ljungberg and Marta displayed some decisive finishing. Just after the hour, Ljungberg scored again with a spectacular first-time volley a minute before Marta also grabbed her second following a mazy dribble which took her around three defenders. Ljungberg completed her hat-trick in the 68th minute from close range after being picked out by a long ball from the midfield.

Scant consolation
Anna Sjöström popped up to head in Umeå’s sixth goal before Smith gave the home fans something to cheer seven minutes from time with an excellent lob. But even the most optimistic Dutch supporters will not be expecting Saestum to come back from this in the return leg in Sweden on week today. Two-time winners Umeå may already be looking ahead to a November semi-final against Kolbotn IL or old foes 1. FFC Frankfurt.