SFS A Season 21 - Part 3/4
Matchday 18
ASK Landsmark 1–0 Libertas Bergheim
Savojars Vinge Virkaja 1–1 FK Metall Jarnstad
FK Torpedo Pawlograd 2–1 ESK Storevik
SK Cuprum Grennvik 3–1 Landsmarks Industrie
Partisan Sjoedrhavn 0–0 Dynamo Novaya Russica
FK Sjoedrhavn 0–1 Transport Hovikkära
Traktor St. Andrei 2–3 Dynamo Sjoedrhavn
Admiral Storevik 3–2 AFK Savojagrad
CASK Thorsborg 1–2 Lokomotive Jarnstad
Lok and CASK have been two of the teams that have been shaping this season so far, and the Winter Champions get to host the defending champions at the Hardén. Unfortunately for them, they go down early on as the usual “score early” attempts of the Thorsborg side fail thanks to first Artjom Sobchuk slide-tackling away a loose ball, and then Erland Lerum parrying a short range shot by Larsson. Then, the offensive side of Lok gets switched on - like so often with this team, it needs just one long ball, and Trikhichev breaks through, a corner isn’t fully cleared, and then Anna Guweddeko scores from range. In confusion after a corner, captain Adrian Klaebo himself scores the 2-0; a second half goal by Ilikin is not enough to prevent Lok’s victory closing the gap to one point.
Partisan Sjoedrhavn, second in the table before the break, seem to have an easy task facing 17th-placed Dynamo Novaya Russica at home, but the defensive tenacity of Dynamo is impressive and holds a sluggish Partisan at bay. With Traudl Mrdja labouring with a muscular injury, and Tryphon Archer seeming disconnected up front as well as taking into heavy custody by Hjörvar Onisson, they can’t break through; in the end, they almost give up a goal on a counter if it wasn’t for Rintanen being narrowly offside. Finally, Admiral Storevik are hitting AFK Savojagrad in a duel of old strength versus rising stars, and they are giving each other fire. Ludvigsson and Nichajev score one each, then Dmitriev converts a corner. It all looks very even despite the 2-1 lead, but an hour in, Admiral manage to catch a break on a counter as the newly subbed on Láidná runs off in the distance, finds a pass, and allows a short range header by Rysti Erkalainen to seal the win.
Matchday 19
AFK Savojagrad 4–0 Traktor St. Andrei
Dynamo Sjoedrhavn 1–0 FK Sjoedrhavn
Transport Hovikkära 0–0 Partisan Sjoedrhavn
Dynamo Novaya Russica 0–1 SK Cuprum Grennvik
Landsmarks Industrie 1–4 FK Torpedo Pawlograd
ESK Storevik 0–1 Savojars Vinge Virkaja
FK Metall Jarnstad 1–0 ASK Landsmark
Libertas Bergheim 2–0 Lokomotive Jarnstad
Admiral Storevik 2–4 CASK Thorsborg
On the second matchday, Admiral have pulled off a surprising away victory over their eternal rivals CASK. Now that the lead of the league is at stake, CASK are not playing around, and like so often this season, they just start the game off better. Lacking their defensive tower Dmitriev for a yellow card suspension, Admiral have little to put up against Medberg Hansen, who scores one and knocks on a ball for Hartikainen to convert for the 0-2. Admiral get a goal back thanks to a spectacular free kick from Ola-Mikko Virttu, but in added time of the first half, Arnar Jonsson slams a ball from 17 metres under the crossbar to set the half-time score to 1-3. In the second half, Dmitriev’s replacement Jevgeni Kuzkin grossly mistimes a tackle onto Smolov and is lucky to only see a yellow card, but the resulting penalty is converted, rending Kolbeinsson’s late 2-4 litte more than cosmetics.
Promotees Transport Hovikkära have had a tough season. Hyped for a return after a nine year absence from the top flight for Sumanen’s biggest city, the Dockers have been consistently at the bottom of the table. Today, however, they manage to take a scalp thanks to Jaakima Järvelä in goal. The 36 year old, who is almost certainly on his final season, stops 13 shots on goal by Partisan to hold onto a 0-0 draw, including a spectacular double save where he just about gets his arm up in time to deflect a rebound by Archer. In the 78th minute, Juha Poutiainen almost gets a lucky strike too, but alone in front of the goal, he shoots too centrally at Virulainen to trouble the Savojar national keeper. Finally, Dynamo Sjoedrhavn retake second place in a derby victory over FKS. FK Sjoedrhavn are fighting for their lives, collecting a grand total of nine yellow cards (and surprisingly no reds) as they are stemming Dynamo’s tide, but eventually the old warhorse Routsiainen manages to rise high enough after a corner to knock the ball past Jostein Helmsgaard.
Matchday 20
CASK Thorsborg 2–2 Libertas Bergheim
Lokomotive Jarnstad 2–0 FK Metall Jarnstad
ASK Landsmark 0–1 ESK Storevik
Savojars Vinge Virkaja 3–3 Landsmarks Industrie
FK Torpedo Pawlograd 1–0 Dynamo Novaya Russica
SK Cuprum Grennvik 1–0 Transport Hovikkära
FK Sjoedrhavn 3–1 AFK Savojagrad
Traktor St. Andrei 4–2 Admiral Storevik
Partisan Sjoedrhavn 0–1 Dynamo Sjoedrhavn
Partisan Sjoedrhavn had waited almost eight years for a derby victory until they got it on MD3, and now it is time to defend their spoils at home. They face a Dynamo that is battered: Charlotta Pala and Alissar Phoen picked up suspensions in the derby, Saevar Fyrbriggsson is out with a torn calf muscle, and Wallace Pickton benched after multiple rough tackles the week before. But the replacements are doing their best, and Vilhjelm Drotte almost manages to score the 1-0 eleven minutes in as Tretjakov chips a ball past a scrambling Johane Boissonault, who seems uncomfortable with his wingback position. On the other end, Tanith Arrowsmith gets to shine, stopping her countryman Tryphon Archer from nine metres with a header, and then coming out smartly to intercept a long ball towards Antonia Nygaard. It is, however, a thundering tackle by Phoen’s replacement Polina Ostapenko that sets Dynamo’s win in motion: 56 minutes in, she stops Morten Poulsen with a sliding tackle that she can retrieve and use for a pass to Conville, who draws two before finding Tretjakov between the lines. The former Partisan midfielder sneaks a ball through to Ottilia Hjort, scoring the lone goal of the game.
More goals fall between CASK and Libertas, where the favourites on top of the table are held back by their opposition’s fierce pressing. Libertas are managing to go ahead with Vithoulkas, but then stumble when they lose the ball in buildup thanks to a mistake by Valtter. Together with a swift counter abusing their high lines and the speed of Smolov, this yields a 2-1 lead for CASK at half time. But Libertas are not willing to accept defeat, and Valtter Marvinsson makes up for his mistake with a brilliant one-two combo with Vingegaard, before casually dropping the ball out wide to Jubkin. A cut back later, Vithoulkas draws two and steps over the ball for Pavel Aljenko to arrive late and score the equaliser.
Matchday 21
Traktor St. Andrei 1–8 CASK Thorsborg
Admiral Storevik 1–2 FK Sjoedrhavn
Dynamo Sjoedrhavn 5–1 SK Cuprum Grennvik
Transport Hovikkära 1–0 FK Torpedo Pawlograd
Dynamo Novaya Russica 2–1 Savojars Vinge Virkaja
Landsmarks Industrie 1–1 ASK Landsmark
ESK Storevik 0–0 Lokomotive Jarnstad
FK Metall Jarnstad 0–2 Libertas Bergheim
AFK Savojagrad 1–1 Partisan Sjoedrhavn
AFK Savojagrad have been the team of the hour earlier in the season, when they soared to the lead for a good while. Now they have slipped to fifth, but this is still a strong result for the Academics, who are facing Partisan in the Match of the Week. However, they are struggling to convert a 59% possession into anything, yielding only three shots on goal in the first half thanks to Parti’s three at the back, commanded by a flawless Alyssa Broad, holding strong. On the other end, a single mistake by young centre-back Jens Holm allows Archer to run deep, and a perfect ball from Nöysten lets the Nepharan striker beat Sigorov in a 1v1. But AFK continue to dominate with their possession-driven football, and against a Partisan that now sits deeper, they get more space. The AFK defenders join the attack, and it is a long ball by centre-back Jokelainen towards leftback Kjaergaard that brings the equaliser. Her cross turns longer and longer, and at the far post awaits Tatjana Kovalenko for the 1-1 that doesn’t really help either side.
What does help someone is the absolute demolition CASK Thorsborg hand out against a naive Traktor St. Andrei. Traktor, lacking defensive organiser Peramäki to suspension, lose their veteran Oleg Eremenko after he doesn’t get up following an aerial clash with Medberg Hansen; half an hour in - with a score of 0-1 - Semjon Katjaniev also has to replace his keeper as Neparev is hit on the knee in a collision with Smolov. 19 year old replacement Ilja Pitrov has a pitiful day, conceding four before he ventures on a wild chase after a long ball, misses it, and cynically pulls down Larsson. A red card with no more substitutes means that the last fifteen minutes see the goalkeeping debut of Traktor midfielder Irina Rasmunov, who concedes three on a day everyone in St. Andrei would rather forget. A bit better are things for SK Cuprum, who are at least “only” letting through five against a Dynamo that is unleashed, and struggle with refereeing decisions: Two penalties are given against Cuprum, at least one of which could be considered a dive by Khedira. Coach Trischuk refrained from overly blatant criticism, but was clearly unhappy after a game where he says “everything seemed to have gone against us today, and that’s sometimes how the ball bounces”.
Matchday 22
CASK Thorsborg 1–0 FK Metall Jarnstad
Libertas Bergheim 1–1 ESK Storevik
Lokomotive Jarnstad 4–0 Landsmarks Industrie
ASK Landsmark 1–0 Dynamo Novaya Russica
Savojars Vinge Virkaja 2–0 Transport Hovikkära
FK Torpedo Pawlograd 0–3 Dynamo Sjoedrhavn
Partisan Sjoedrhavn 0–0 Admiral Storevik
FK Sjoedrhavn 1–3 Traktor St. Andrei
SK Cuprum Grennvik 1–0 AFK Savojagrad
SK Cuprum Grennvik have been silently overachieving again. Having come 11th last season, and losing one of last season’s starting striker without any major signings, people were insecure about Mikhail Trischuk’s side, but the South Newlandian former Libertas keeper turned coach was trusting in his young foreign striker duo and has been rewarded with a consistent season that sees his team in a lurking position in 7th, within striking distance of the IFCF qualifying spots. Facing AFK Savojagrad provides a test for the tight midfield of Cuprum, and they pass with flying colours. New signing Björn Munch shows that Energie’s relegation was never his fault, and Loki Mattason in midfield shows again why he deserves to be built around in the centre. It is him that wins the ball that Leda Fjodorov takes down the wing and drops back to Astridur Gylfisdottir, whose cross lands on the head of Benjamin de Wahr and in the goal of AFK.
Elsewhere, Lok Jarnstad, following a bit of a slump that saw them fall down to third, strike back with a surgeon-like operation performed on an over-pressuring Landsmarks Industrie. Finding many openings in an overcommitting pressing line, Klaebo initiates three attacks that lead to goals in the second half, taking the game into his hands and shutting down any hope of a Landsmarks Industrie that reached half time on a scoreless draw. Finally, Savojars Vinge Virkaja score three important points in the fight against relegation. Facing Transport Hovikkära, Markus Packard-Grey put in yet another good argument for why he should be picked up by a better team, curling one ball beautifully in the far corner, and finding a deadly pass to Bjergsen up front for the 2-0.
Matchday 23
FK Sjoedrhavn 1–1 CASK Thorsborg
Traktor St. Andrei 0–4 Partisan Sjoedrhavn
Admiral Storevik 1–0 SK Cuprum Grennvik
Dynamo Sjoedrhavn 1–1 Savojars Vinge Virkaja
Transport Hovikkära 0–1 ASK Landsmark
Dynamo Novaya Russica 0–0 Lokomotive Jarnstad
Landsmarks Industrie 3–6 Libertas Bergheim
ESK Storevik 2–0 FK Metall Jarnstad
AFK Savojagrad 1–1 FK Torpedo Pawlograd
AFK Savojagrad are facing FK Torpedo in a game that they need to score points in to remain close to the top, and making sure that they don’t fall out of contention for the title. With CASK having surprisingly lost points to FK Sjoedrhavn thanks to a dodgy penalty, everyone behind - very much including the Savojagrad side - has a chance to strike for the top. But the occasion seems to numb AFK, and Torpedo are here to pounce. Both Zander Cadell and Ilja Serebrjakov have major chances from mid-range, but both fail to beat Sigorov. However, the third time is the charm for Torpedo, as Cadell this time proves overview and drops the ball back to a completely open Valtteri Silverberg, who scores from fifteen metres. AFK make some changes at half time, and a nice ball win from Östberg launches a counter that Kovalenko ends up converting for the 1-1. AFK seem to have found new confidence as a result, giving its fans new hopes with Bar missing closely. With a minute to go, Nichajev gets an open header, but heads it directly at Sharin, sealing the 1-1 draw.
The real screamer of the day is Landsmarks Industrie’s defeat to Libertas Bergheim. Both sides manage to defend terribly poorly, with Industrie’s pressing opening gaping holes for a top form Wen Xiaohui to run into and orchestrate three goals before topping off her performance with a directly converted free kick to the 2-5. However, Industrie also provoke mistakes, with Thelander in particular standing out with two poor passes that lead to a goal and a corner converted by Lund. Karolina Vaitanen closes the gap with a beauty of a goal for the 3-5, slipping the ball through Trixie Cottan’s legs and sneaking around the aging defender, then chipping it over the charging Jonas Hilde for the goal. But it’s all in vain, with Jubkin scoring the final point in a nine goal game.
Savojarsk Cup Quarterfinals
Union Poljansk (NL) 0–3 FK Sjoedrhavn
Metsuri Virkaja (SFS B) 3–0 Lokomotive Jarnstad
Libertas Bergheim 0–0 SK Cuprum Grennvik (0–1 AET)
Energie Thorsborg (SFS B) 4–2 FK Torpedo Pawlograd
The minnows now have to stand on their own feet, facing an SFS A side each. Union Poljanks draw what is on paper the weakest opponent from the top flight, but FK Sjoedrhavn coach Knut Henriksen already announces a week in advance that with the relegation battle looking alright for the team, they are focusing on the Cup. Knowing not to underestimate Ljubomir Karlov, who was so instrumental in beating Agrar Jurka in the octofinals, they take the 19 year old Union winger in close custody, and by half time a double by Mijatov has FKS leading 0-2.
Lok Jarnstad are going the complete opposite route. Putting 22 year old backup Petter Svidbeck in goal, they also rest key players in Reid Gomez, Tessa Bjarnesen, Tristana Palsdottir, and most crucially Adrian Klaebo. Unfortunately for Lok, the resulting lineup relying on a more advanced playmaker goes wrong, and with Roman Sadianov coming down with muscular issues before the game, they lose another key piece that leads to a bit of disorientation in the back. The result is that Metsuri’s playmaker Alex Naslund gets pretty free reign, and a horrible disorientation in the back allows veteran Sirkala to score from close range. Ilari Milvonen, former AFK veteran, scores the 2-0 right before the break and scores, knocking out Lok from what is clearly not their priority.
Energie Thorsborg are the last minnow in the tournament, and they surprisingly overcome a 0-1 and a 1-2 as they are using their young offensive midfielders masterfully, and profit off the 2.02 m target man Holger Blomqvist scoring twice. A Victoria Borgen penalty puts them up two, and FK Torpedo fail to come back despite a desperate attack in the end of the game.
In the only SFS A duel, Libertas attack constantly but smash into the wall of SK Cuprum, with centre-backs Leifsen and Munch playing a fantastic game and Loki Mattason playing as sweeper. Once Libertas are ground down, in the 112th minute, Tepparainen breaks through on the right side, abusing the tiredness of a very active Harald Gröneveld, and finding his target man in Benjamin de Wahr, sending Cuprum to the semifinals.
Matchday 24
CASK Thorsborg 1–1 ESK Storevik
FK Metall Jarnstad 1–2 Landsmarks Industrie
Libertas Bergheim 0–0 Dynamo Novaya Russica
Lokomotive Jarnstad 1–0 Transport Hovikkära
ASK Landsmark 0–1 Dynamo Sjoedrhavn
Savojars Vinge Virkaja 4–0 AFK Savojagrad
SK Cuprum Grennvik 1–0 Traktor St. Andrei
Partisan Sjoedrhavn 1–0 FK Sjoedrhavn
FK Torpedo Pawlograd 4–3 Admiral Storevik
Welcome to the Navy Derby, and what a derby it is! Torpedo get the better start, storming Admiral with six shots on goal in the first fifteen minutes, but Branislaw Mucic holds the zero before finding a long ball that Virttu can secure, pass wide to Erkalainen, and a through ball to Ludvigsson leads to the 0-1. Put on the back foot, Torpedo manage to revert the score by half time, but right after the break, Ludvigsson breaks again, and then goes down in the box after contact with Ludvik Stepanek. Under thunderous whistles of the home audience, Ola-Mikko Virttu steps up… and slams the ball unstoppably to the top right side, putting his finger to his lips. But Torpedo refuse to be silenced; as Admiral can’t clear a header by Serebrjakov, Selvala Tabur picks up the loose ball and scores the 3-2. This ends up being the decisive moment in a tense duel, as Admiral now look somewhat shook and Torpedo use the soaring crowd to their advantage, with Rotan extending the lead. Even though Admiral close the gap to 4-3, the game is now decided.
Elsewhere, an FK Sjoedrhavn that is less rested following their cup game struggle to get past Partisan’s defence, but still manage a dangerous chance as Johanna Olasdottir tests Virulainen; the goalkeeper manages to clear to a corner. The corner seems to go in after a flippering ball, but on video, Lindberg is shown to be offside. In the second half, FK Sjoedrhavn increasingly struggle to keep up, and supersub Lapanen proves decisive as he scores the sole goal of the game. Finally, leaders CASK stumble over ESK Storevik, as the destructive duo of Christian and Ylsdottir lock down the centre. It’s not enough to prevent one goal over the wings, but ESK get one back as Varauskas cuts inside past Brynjar Hatun, and slots the ball past Valujev.
Matchday 25
FK Sjoedrhavn 0–1 SK Cuprum Grennvik
Traktor St. Andrei 3–1 FK Torpedo Pawlograd
Dynamo Sjoedrhavn 2–0 Lokomotive Jarnstad
Admiral Storevik 2–1 Savojars Vinge Virkaja
AFK Savojagrad 0–2 ASK Landsmark
Transport Hovikkära 0–1 Libertas Bergheim
Dynamo Novaya Russica 0–0 FK Metall Jarnstad
Landsmarks Industrie 0–0 ESK Storevik
Partisan Sjoedrhavn 4–1 CASK Thorsborg
This is what may well turn out to be the biggest day for the championship. With a clear top 4 forming, consisting of CASK in the lead, Dynamo Sjoedrhavn tied for second, Lok just behind and Partisan in a chasing position (and five points clear of the teams behind), all four meet each other today in what could range anywhere from pre-decisive to jumbling up the race. First off, on Friday night, is Lok’s visit to Sjoedrhavn to face Dynamo. Lok, coming off a grindy victory over 18th placed Transport Hovikkära, are struggling to get the engine going, and around twenty minutes in, Jelena Tretjakov pulls out a monster of a tackling to take the ball off Adrian Klaebo. While the following attack is denied by the keeper, it seems to shell-shock Lok and motivate Dynamo to bring on multiple swift attacks, and once Siobhan Conville finds Tretjakov lurking at the edge of the box after a run down the right side, the leading goal comes. Lok get a golden opportunity in the second half as Thomas Mastronenko pushes over Jotan Haraldsson following a corner - but Tanith Arrowsmith correctly guesses top left and saves Klaebo’s penalty. With Stromberg converting a late counter, Dynamo beat the challengers and assume the lead for the next 48 hours.
Then, on Sunday night, Partisan are hosting leaders CASK, who have a horrible start to the game. Nine minutes in, Rasmus Vikborg is a bit too slow to react as Traudl Mrdja, pressing aggressively, intercepts a poor pass by Klaey and rushes to the middle. Valujev can repel the shot, but is chanceless against Tryphon Archer’s follow-up. Up front, Rasmus Medberg Hansen is caught offside twice, and after Valujev completely misestimates a corner, Chandra Rosziter has the world’s easiest header for the 2-0. The team does pull itself together in the second half following two halftime subs, but with the score already at 3-0, they can do little more than cosmetics. At least there is a personal celebration for centre-back Vitali Stepanenko, whose header off a free kick is the first SFS A goal of the 20 year old’s career.
Matchday 26
CASK Thorsborg 3–1 Landsmarks Industrie
ESK Storevik 2–0 Dynamo Novaya Russica
FK Metall Jarnstad 0–0 Transport Hovikkära
Lokomotive Jarnstad 2–0 AFK Savojagrad
ASK Landsmark 2–3 Admiral Storevik
Savojars Vinge Virkaja 2–0 Traktor St. Andrei
FK Torpedo Pawlograd 1–1 FK Sjoedrhavn
SK Cuprum Grennvik 1–0 Partisan Sjoedrhavn
Libertas Bergheim 1–0 Dynamo Sjoedrhavn
Dynamo have taken back the lead in this tense back and forth of a season, but now they have to defend it in the mountains at Libertas, on a clear but cold Sunday night. In a mere 2°C, Libertas are showing all their skill, but run into the magistral Vidkun Nymark time and time again; what little offence finds its way past the centre-back is stopped by a Tanith Arrowsmith that seems determined not to let anything pass. However, on the other end, things are patchy: Pickton is more or less shut down by occasional Northlights defender Alvin Strid, while Mohamed Khedira gets increasingly incensed by the close and physical defence of Dino Racic. Eventually, the Quebecois goes over in the box, but after a quick review, the referee decides against what would have been a soft penalty, deeming Racic to have played the ball first and foremost. The decision doesn’t help the mental game of an increasingly frustrated Dynamo, and an hour in, Knud Vingegaard finally cracks the nut with a bold shot from twenty-one metres that the unlucky Charlotta Pala deflects unstoppably.
Up North in Grennvik, Cuprum keep up with Libertas in the IFCF race and do their part to stop the clear Top 4 that were forming. Scoring early off a Xena Allison run into the box launched by a perfectly timed pass, and converted flawlessly, the team is holding back Partisan’s waves of attack splendidly. Konstantin Pavarenko puts in a good argument to finally hit a big transfer as he stops shot after shot, and Thea Leifsen stands out as the big figure in the middle, intercepting multiple key passes to the point of standing ovations as she is subbed off, visibly gassed, 78 minutes in. Finally, ASK Landsmark and Admiral Storevik play a spectacular game that sees two goals each for ASK’s Reksi Halanen and Admiral’s Rysti Erkalainen, but the decider comes late as Ola-Mikko Virttu dupes Johan Helmsberg and slots the ball through wide to Palina Leopold. The 36 year old Nepharan veteran finds her target with a flat pass to the second post, where Kolbeinsson converts this combination of subs to win the game for Admiral.
Standings
Savojar Football Serien A Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 CASK Thorsborg 26 16 6 4 65 30 +35 54
2 Dynamo Sjoedrhavn 26 16 6 4 49 20 +29 54
3 Lokomotive Jarnstad 26 16 4 6 33 19 +14 52
4 Partisan Sjoedrhavn 26 14 6 6 40 21 +19 48
5 Libertas Bergheim 26 13 7 6 36 25 +11 46
6 SK Cuprum Grennvik 26 14 4 8 28 23 +5 46
7 Admiral Storevik 26 13 4 9 39 35 +4 43
8 AFK Savojagrad 26 10 7 9 37 36 +1 37
9 Traktor St. Andrei 26 11 4 11 36 54 −18 37
10 ESK Storevik 26 9 7 10 26 28 −2 34
11 FK Torpedo Pawlograd 26 9 5 12 34 33 +1 32
12 Savojars Vinge Virkaja 26 8 5 13 31 44 −13 29
13 ASK Landsmark 26 8 4 14 14 23 −9 28
14 Landsmarks Industrie 26 7 6 13 39 54 −15 27
15 FK Sjoedrhavn 26 7 4 15 24 38 −14 25
16 FK Metall Jarnstad 26 6 5 15 12 27 −15 23
17 Dynamo Novaya Russica 26 4 8 14 9 21 −12 20
18 Transport Hovikkära 26 4 6 16 8 29 −21 18
, Johanna Widerström (LB, Rotor Värstjö, 0.75), Nisha Handt (LM/CMT, Chromia Central College University/CMT, 0)
