It’s becoming a habit, but is no less fun for it.
For the fourth year in a row, Sanna Gustafsson is in the winning team with a gold helmet on her head – this time following being responsible for the delicacy of the SM final.
She sighs with a big smile:
– Incredible. You think that this is not going to work, but it is an incredible team effort.
Why are you the best?
– We work hard and have players who are good at so many different things. It showed today.
Sanna Gustafsson celebrates following the most beautiful goal of her career. Photo: Jessica Gow/TT
With 19 wins out of 19 possible in the regular season and playoffs, there was a lot of talk in advance for a new bandy gold for Villa Lidköping’s ladies – but in the face of rejection, there was still reason to feel hope for Västerås.
After all, the SC final was decided on the green and whites’ home field this year, and the opposing team was also missing its national team goalkeeper Sofie Millqvist, who withdrew from the final with a broken finger.
In Millqvist’s absence, 17-year-old third goalkeeper Olivia Jacobsen stepped in and scored only her second game from the start.
Afterwards, she had a hard time accepting that she had already won a SM final.
– It feels very good, but it has been very nervous. It was great fun, even if it didn’t go very well for me – but it was enough for a SM gold.
At the beginning, both Jacobsen and the goalkeeper colleague in Västerås, Petra Huhta, had to pick balls out of the net in batches and minutes following a senseless tearing start in the ABB arena.
It was pouring rain outside – but what did it do when the SC final in bandy was decided indoors in the ABB arena in Västerås. Photo: Maxim Thoré/Bildbyrån
After not even one minute a pass from Villa Lidköping’s Linnea Larsson found its way into the goal. Västerås quickly responded through Karla Thuresson and also took the lead when Gabriella Aronsson scored 2-1 from a corner – but the joy was short-lived.
Villa Lidköping immediately equalized following a free position for Matilda Öhman, who also poked in 3-2 following a goalkeeper return shortly followingwards.
After that, the away team continued to exploit the wide open spaces in the Västerås defense and also scored 4–2 through Ida Friman.
By then the final had lasted for just over eleven minutes.
– It was a sick pace, so it was lucky that it calmed down a bit following that, says Sanna Gustafsson.
It didn’t get any easier to get back into the game for Västerås when the Norwegian Charlotte Selbekk received both one and two ten-minute suspensions before the end of the first half – but instead it became close following the break.
Västerås was once more awarded a corner when Russian star Galina Michajlova reduced. Just like before, however, Villa Lidköping responded in the best way.
The Västerås players are depressing in what turned out to be another SM final loss once morest Villa Lidköping. Photo: Maxim Thoré/Bildbyrån
Ida Friman scored her second goal of the day and with 20 minutes left in the match the death blow came via Sanna Gustafsson’s free kick.
From the penalty area line, the midfield star carefully lifted the ball close under the bar in a teasing arc over the goalkeeper Petra Huhta and 6-3 was a fact.
– I saw that she stood quite far out. I thought I would try flipping it over and see what happens – and it fell in, says the goalscorer and continues:
– Someone probably wondered what I was doing, but I usually never get to stand by the ball, so I just thought that now I’ll take the chance.
Coolest goal you’ve scored?
– Yes, God yes. Really – and in a match like this too. Absolutely magical.
Wild celebration in Villa Lidköping. Photo: Maxim Thoré/Bildbyrån
Among the 2,314 spectators – who escaped the pouring rain outside the ABB arena – the blue-colored corner sang that “victory is ours” and it didn’t get more exciting than Tova Grönoset being able to reduce the score to 4-6 on penalties for Västerås.
The last word went to Ellen Nilsson, who made it 7-4 with seconds left in regular match time.
Villa Lidköping’s ladies are now up to four SM gold medals, all of which have come in the last four seasons. Also in the 2020–2021 season, the team was undefeated and won all 20 games.
– This is a perfect season. There is not much to complain regarding. Now it will be an incredible celebration, says Sanna Gustafsson.
Facts. Ten past years’ champions
2015: Kareby
2016: Kareby
2017: Kareby
2018: Bullet cutting edge
2019: Västerås
2020: Västerås
2021: Villa Lidköping
2022: Villa Lidköping
2023: Villa Lidköping
2024: Villa Lidköping
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