Hammarby had to win in the last group stage match against Mjällby on Monday to have a chance of advancing to the quarter-finals of the Swedish Cup. For the Blekinge team, a cross was enough to win the group.
Mjällby created the match’s first big danger. A cross from Herman Johansson found its way to Abdoulie Manneh inside the box, in the 14th minute. However, the forward’s header was saved by Davor Blazevic in Hammarby’s goal.
When it comes to ball possession, Bajen had an advantage in the first half, but the really big scoring chances did not materialize. The green and whites didn’t come closer to a goal than a Viktor Djukanovic shot a bit outside the far post in the 20th minute and a finish in the crossbar from Oscar Johansson in the 42nd minute.
– We had a lot of the ball and led the game, but it is difficult to create chances against Mjällby. They are good at defending, Bayen captain Nahir Besara told TV4 Play at halftime.
In the 51st minute, however, Hammarby pushed themselves to a great position. Mjällby keeper Alexander Lundin finally lost the ball and that gave Viktor Djukanovic more or less an open goal, but his lob from inside the penalty area went over the bar.
A few minutes later, Bajen hit the post. A shot from Jusef Erabi was guided into the woodwork and then went out.
Hammarby got a dividend in the end. In the 70th minute, Nahir Besara fired a free kick into the net to make it 1-0, via the wall. The ball touched a Mjällby player and set up goalkeeper Alexander Lundin.
But Bajen’s joy was short-lived. In the 73rd minute, substitute Imam Jagne drove the ball forward on the left wing and then found his way into the penalty area with the outside, after which forward Jacob Bergström was able to bump in 1-1 from close range.
After that, the green and whites tried to score another goal to advance to the quarter-finals, but they failed to do so.
The match ended 1-1 and therefore Mjällby takes first place in group seven. The team from Blekinge can now play the quarter-finals at the weekend.
Maif hero Jacob Bergström was lyrical after the final whistle:
– It’s good to knock out “Bajen”! I won’t say no to that, said the forward in TV4 Play, commenting on his entry:
– Of course you want to jump in and decide. Imam had a show out there, outside to me and then it was just a matter of running into the post. It was good.
And the 28-year-old’s finish was important:
– They started to bring the crowd with them when they scored their goal, so it was nice to silence them and then hold out until the end, says Bergström.
– I can’t complain (about the group stage). Two winters and a cross.
Dream opposition in the quarter-finals? Bergström answers with a smile:
– “The gnat” is good. On Strandvallen. If it’s possible.
Hammarby’s head coach Kim Hellberg was depressed when he stood in front of TV4 Play’s interview microphone:
– Sad, really sad. Yes. Sad, he sighed.
– In some sequences I think we are a little bad with the ball, otherwise we are in their half of the pitch and need to create more chances even though we had quite a few clear ones in others. Then we scored 1-0, they scored 1-1 and after that there was no structure at all. But until their goal – apart from the first 10-15 maybe – is the best we have done this year.
Hellberg adds:
– It’s not worth much when we’ve lost. But tomorrow is a new day so just work on it.
And speaking of Jacob Bergström’s “Gnaget” wish. Very true, Mjällby faces AIK at home in the quarter-finals. See the entire draw for the play-offs in the Swedish Cup here.
Hammarby’s team: Davor Blazevic – Markus Karlsson (Mads Fenger 83), Pavle Vagic, Shaquille Pinas, Simon Strand (Fredrik Hammar 83) – Nahir Besara, Tesfaldet Tedie, Oscar Johansson Schellhas – Abdelrahman Boudah (August Mikkelsen 69)i, Jusef Erabi, Viktor Djukanovic ( Montader Madjed 83)
Mjällby’s team: Alexander Lundin – Rasmus Wikström, Colin Rösler, Tom Pettersson – Herman Johansson (Elliot Stroud 83), Nicklas Röjkjaer (Arvid Brorsson 77), Jesper Gustavsson, Adam Petersson (Imam Jagne 46), Adam Ståhl – Abdoulie Manneh (Jacob Bergström 62), Alexander Johansson (Viktor Gustafson 46)