Photo: FREDRIK AREMYR / BILDBYRÅN
Photo: FREDRIK AREMYR / BILDBYRÅN
The reigning cup champions from Hisingen are in a major rebuilding phase. Above all, basically the entire coaching team has been replaced and team captain Samuel Gustafson accompanied head coach Per-Mathias Högmo to the Japanese Urawa Red Diamonds.
In addition, the giant talent Momodou Sonko has been sold to Belgian Gent for over SEK 80 million.
And BK Häcken has clearly been affected by all the changes this winter. The four practice matches have ended with clear losses.
New coach Paco Johansen missed the competition premiere against Östersund at Bravida arena, he is at home in Norway for family reasons but is expected to be back soon.
The keeper came awry
The super team team pressed BK Häcken for a long time and had several sharp chances. It was 0-0 at the break before Ali Youssef struck in the 52nd minute. A fine cross by Gais’ new signing Julius Lindberg to the nimble winger, Östersund’s goalkeeper Andrew Mills hesitated at first and went wide, so Youssef was able to easily make it 1-0 .
– Julius puts a perfect ball and it was nice to score. I missed a lot in the first half, I don’t know what happened there, says the 23-year-old, who had major injury concerns but now seems to be back in earnest.
– I want to play this year and will do everything for it. I have good opportunities.
The guests had several equalizing chances, but after a corner in the 83rd minute, BK Häcken’s substitute Ishaq Abdulrazak got a cannonball on the crossbar.
– My first goal here, of course it feels very good, he says.
“Probably releasing in the future”
The home team held on and won 2-0.
– We get better and better with time. We started quite strong today, that’s how it is when it’s the first competition match. It will probably release in the future, says Ali Yousseff.
In the second match in the group, Brommapojkarna won 3-0 against Landskrona Bois.
That’s how BK Häcken started
Peter Abrahamsson – Simon Sandberg (65), Even Hovland, Nikola Zecevic, Adam Lundqvist – Mikkel Rygaard, Romeo Amane, Julius Lindberg (Pontus Dahbo) – Amor Layouni, Srdan Hrstic, Ali Youssef (77) . . . .
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