Thursday twenty sixth September 2024 – Allsvenskan – Tele2 Enviornment, Stockholm

Soccer in Stockholm is in impolite well being. After years of floor browsing and uncertainty off the pitch, all three of the Swedish capital’s golf equipment are main the cost on the high of the Allsvenskan in attempting to catch present champions Malmö FF because the season enters the ultimate month. On the finish of September, the trio of AIK, Djurgårdens IF and Hammarby IF are separated by simply two factors in 2nd, third and 4th respectively within the league, though they’re most likely too far behind Malmö FF to catch them.

It’s been over a decade since I used to be within the Swedish capital however work introduced me again, and a possibility to satisfy up with our man in Roma, Adam Lloyd, who was now a Swedophile, having been right here for work for over 5 years. In that point he’s learnt the language, developed a passion for licorice, purchased a ship and most significantly, discovered a crew to comply with.

Within the first few weeks after he arrived, he took in dwelling video games of the three main sides within the capital and determined that his coronary heart would develop into inexperienced and white So, when luck (no, significantly) decided I might be attending a convention within the metropolis when Hammarby have been internet hosting BK Häcken, it was a no brainer to satisfy up and for him to introduce me to all issues Bajen.

It wasn’t my first ever Hammarby recreation, nor the primary go to to the spectacular Tele2 Enviornment. I’d seen them play on the outdated 13,000 capability Söderstadion, just some hundred yards from the brand new stadium till 2013, then seen city-rivals Djurgårdens IF a number of years later. Hammarby struggled off the sphere within the remaining years on the outdated stadium, spending 5 seasons within the Superettan, the second tier, till the returned to the highest flight in 2014, which additionally noticed Anschutz Leisure Group (AEG), improve their possession share, to go alongside their funding in LA Galaxy. In 2019, it was introduced that Zlatan Ibrahimović had acquired 23.5 p.c of the excellent shares within the membership.

So life was good on the inexperienced and white aspect of town? Properly not but. The membership has solely gained one Allsvenskan, again in 2001, and while they bought their fingers on the Swedish Cup in 2021, they lag a good distance behind the remainder in Sweden. Even guests for tonight’s recreation, BC Häcken, had gained the league as lately as 2022. 5 completely different groups have gained the title within the final ten seasons, with present champions Malmö FF having gained six of these.

Work achieved, it was time to pattern the legendary ambiance on the Tele2 because the rain poured down. The world across the Tele2 Enviornment, had in widespread with many different comparable leisure centres across the work, been redeveloped with bars and eating places, offering followers shelter from the rain and an opportunity to lubricate their voices. I met Adam, and his subsequent door neighbours Richard (x 2) and Lovlina, for a swift pint and was introduced on top of things with all I wanted to know concerning the season thus far, and what to anticipate from the ultras (notably the Hammarby Ultras, Extremely Boys, Söder Bröder, and E1 Ultras).

Armed with my newly acquired Hammarby scarf I made my method as much as the highest tier prepared for the membership anthem ‘Simply idag är jag stark’ (At the moment, I’m sturdy), able to twirl it round my head on demand. The superb banner slowly rose up the higher tier, then gave solution to a banner celebrating the twenty fifth anniversary of the formation of the principle Ultras group, and the inexperienced flares have been lit. An announcement over the PA, and messages on the display screen reminded us all it was strictly forbidden to make use of pyrotechnics.

The guests actually appeared essentially the most assured within the opening exchanges, with left winger Zeidane Inoussa inflicting the house aspect all types of issues and unfortunate to not give Häcken the lead when his curled effort from the sting of the field hit the publish. However in opposition to the run of play it was the house aspect who took the lead in fortuitous trend within the thirty second minute when Nahir Besara’s shot smashed off the bar and proper into the trail of onrushing Oscar Johansson Schellhas who tapped into an empty internet.

The beginning of the second half was delayed by an outstanding show of pyrotechnics from the followers, and with smoke nonetheless hanging over the pitch the house aspect doubled their lead within the forty eighth minute. With no VAR in place in Swedish soccer, Oscar Johansson Schellhas tapped dwelling from what appeared like an offside place, though he knew little about it, the ball hitting him after it handed beneath the keeper. Hammarby by no means actually bought out of second gear however at this stage of the season it was all concerning the three factors.

There was some disappointment with a crowd of 17,599 – the membership have been one of the best supported in Sweden for six of the final seven seasons. This season it was AIK once more main the way in which with a mean of just about 28,000, some 4 thousand greater than Hammarby. Granted, in most situations there could be extra away followers than the 40 or so who had made the lengthy journey throughout from Gothenburg.

Solely the highest three are assured European soccer (the 4th spot is reserved for the Svenska Cuper winner) so it might be a nervous remaining few weeks of the season for the Bajen. It was be a advantageous return for the followers if they might as soon as once more present their help on the European stage.