Stripes News

Stockholms Cup 2nd Round

SALTSJÖBADENS IF (3) 3

LÅNGHOLMEN FC (3) 6

The fans of Långholmen outnumbered there opponents fans and not for the first time this season. This time however the total crowd was four and that included injured star Chris Allen. No one could really blame the stay away supporters as it was a cold wet night out on the coast, it was a nice gesture to the fans when the team came over and thanked them all personally.

This was a tricky draw for the division four champs and things didn’t look good as they had no less than 6 key players missing in action for this game, in total they only had twelve for this cup match and when Chris Allen hobbled off inside the first five minutes the odds looked heavily stacked against the Stripes as they were already 3 goals down thanks to penalty goals from Victor Sorle, Johan Böhm and Jon Tusa.

With leading scorer Allen out of action the Stripes brought on Paul O’Hara who acquitted himself well and there is no doubt he will be given some first team football next term.

Långholmen were requested to wear rather fetching yellow bibs as the referee decided that two teams playing in blue was a colour clash.

The home team started off brightly enough and stuck to their task inside the first twenty minutes, lots of pressurising and no nonsense ball play. Långholmen however did not panic in trying to breakthrough, instead they played the clever game and waited out for an opener. They were rewarded for their patience when Andy O’Sullivan cooly lobbed the keeper after a nice headed through ball from captain Graham, who played a key role in his teams victory.

Gradually the game was moving into Långholmens hands and you could sense how deflated Saltsjöbaden were when Robbie Graham stroked the ball home from just inside the box on 32 minutes, the ball bobbled around inside the six yard box before it was half cleared as far as the skipper and his crisp strike nestled behind Roberto Da Costa in goal.

It was all about one team at this stage and right on the half time whistle up popped O’Sullivan with a free header in the box to square up the tie.

The second half was predictable as Saltsjöbaden showed a lack of urgency in the Långholmen half with McConnell and team mates running the show with ease.

Colm Kenny got a fine double, one each side of a fine strike by O’Sullivan, the second was a peach and goal of the game. Kenny picked up the ball just inside the Saltsjöbaden half, he raced forward and then weighted a perfect pass to Björlund Berglund on the flank, the young player then sent an inch perfect pass back to Kenny who cracked it home to make sure Saltsjöbadens cup dream is over for another season.

The home team to their credited tried to get another goal near the end but keeper Jefferson was equal to the effort and pulled of a superb save.

All in all a good night for the Långholmen lads who will go into the hat for the next round .

Report courtesy of Långholmens website

www.langholmenfootball.com

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The league season has just finished for Långholmen FC and now their attention turns to the business of cup football. The Stockholm Cup is a prestigious tournament with teams from division 7 upwards competing for a final place next autumn.

The competition is worked on a handicap system where the higher league team will travel to their opponents, that is of course if that team are of a lower division, they will then face a handicap penalty system before the game starts. So if a division six side face a division four side they will recieve two penalties before the game starts.

Långholmen have been drawn against Saltsjöbaden of division 7 so face 3 penalties before a ball has been kicked. In recent years the cup has been won by lower division sides.

The Stripes made it to the quarter finals last season where they were knocked out by eventual winners Sörskogens of division seven. In that particular game the Sörskogen keeper had what was probably the best game of his life.

The game will be played at Saltsjöbadens IP on Friday 16th of October with a 19.30 kick off.

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Seven years ago some ex english speaking friends met on a gravel pitch on Långholmen. This blossomed into the formation of Långholmen Football Club and started an unprecedented climb through the league system. I can say being part of the last day of the season at Stora Essinge last week was a fantastic experience and a footballing memory that will live with me forever.

Watching the drama unfold and the tension at the end of the game was an incredible experience.

A big crowd turned up despite the miserable weather and urged Långholmen onto a famous vistory against derby rivals Reymersholm. The away team had publicly said they were going to spoil the Långholmen party and hand the league to fellow title challengers Mariebergs, who only had to turn up to their game to win the league or so they thought.

Långholmen had lost their second last game of the season against Järla, thus putting them into second spot on goal difference. So whatever happened Långholmen had to win their game and hope that Boo could take something from Mariebergs, in all fairness this didn’t look like being much of a possibility as Boo had nothing to play for and Mariebergs had scored 9 goals in their previous game.

It couldn’t of been worse for the Stripes as Reymers lead 1-0 at half time and Mariebergs were leading in their game.

But the Långholmen spirit kicked in and 3 quick goals came after the break, there was an enormous roar as Chris Allen fired home the third goal.

The clock ticked away and the referee blew his whistle, now everyone in the ground was eerily subdued as they nervously waited on confirmation of the other games result, the rumour was it was 3-2 to Mariebergs, then all of a sudden it was 2-2, what was going on ?

When chairman Mats Gustavsson punched the air and exclaimed it was 2-2 and over, the place exploded and the celebrations got underway. Grown men hugging and kissing each other, grown women hugging and kissing each other, players hugging fans hugging players, it was jubilation of the highest degree, it was a proud moment.

Just minutes after I took time to look out for those who were there in the beginning, on that gravel pitch in the rain all those years ago, I saw the look of contentment on those faces and thought thank god that football had brought these men together and they were motivated to start this club.

The full match report including audio interviews and you tube clips can be found at www.langholmenfootball.com

words Scot James

image courtesy of Per Hägglund

Proud supporters of Långholmen football club

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This Sunday sees the second edition of the Stockholm Super Cup at Zinkensdamm IP. The competition features the league winners from divisions 4 and 5. The teams will be split into two groups, one containing the 3 division 4 sides and the other the 3 division 5 sides and after a round-robin the two winners meet in the final for the honour of being Stockholms finest lower league club.

Långholmen are ranked as outsiders for the competition and indeed will find it hard against opposing sides Mälarhöjden and Kungsängen.

The Stripes played Kungsängen twice last season in the league and lost the first game 4-1 but won the second 5-0, but the team from the north of Stockholm are much improved this year.

Mälarhöjden defeated Långholmen easily in a pre season friendly so a bit of revenge will be on the Långholmen agenda.

The fun starts at 9 am in the morning and runs until 4pmand the cost is 50kr for the day.

Långholmen play at 10am and 2pm.

The Stripes also aim to be Stockholms best English speaking side on Friday night when they take on fellow ex pat team Tudor Arms at Zinkensdamm.

This is an annual fixture and the sides will be competing for the Kevin Everest Trophy. Kevin is somewhat of a Långholmen legend but has also played for the Tudor side in years gone by, so he felt it would be quite apt to donate a trophy for the fixture. The previous years have seen Långholmen win the fine looking piece of silverware and they will be very keen to hold onto it.

This is a good opportunity for any english speaking people who enjoy football  to come along and meet some new friends and maybe adopt a team here in Sweden.

This game is free of charge and the kick off is 19.15pm

more info on Långholmen FC can be found at www.langholmenfootball.com

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