Fröjdens FK - Pushers BK

It was time for the second game of the season and after picking up all 3 points from the first game, Fröjdens FK and its fans were buzzing. This time round, the team made its way to Gröna Vallen, Majorna where the strong hold of Pushers BK is located. The home fans had already made their way to the ground with their huge flags and banners, but for Fröjdens, the Ultras – Pedda and Flat, made their presence felt right from kick-off.

The team:

Axel
Mange Andreas Larsson
Wahman Thalén
Dansken Viken Marcus Albin
Paschim

Bench: Garå, Putte, Mattsson, Hansson, Alex


Pushers get off to a very good start with pressing hard and enjoying possession high up the pitch in the Fröjdens half. Their long balls and wing play did seem to catch Fröjdens off guard at times, but we were pretty tight at the back and a line clearance by Viken which came off the post was the first big chance for Pushers. Soon after, a vaguely cleared ball ends up high in the air and lands awkwardly for Babben who tries his best to control it but the pressure from their number 10, if I am not wrong, is too much and Pushers get their opener. Soon after the opener, Fröjdens have their chance to equalize through a header from Andreas which goes agonizingly just above the crossbar. Pushers looked promising and so did they add to their tally through a freekick. The cross comes in and the header is saved on the first glance, but when things don’t go as expected and the ball ends up luckily at the striker’s foot for a tap in on the second attempt. 2-0 down, but Fröjdens is known to never give up. We kept our cool and played our game which did bear fruit. Andreas gets a chance to bring the deficit down and boy, does he not know how to miss from 6 yards out. A cool and calmly placed goal into the bottom right corner and you could hear the nerves of Pushers fans from the stands. The press is kept up with high intensity and a back pass by the Pushers defender to their keeper is gobbled up by Axel as a lion jumps onto its prey in the wild. He wins the ball with all his strength and passes the ball into the net to make it 2-2 towards the end of the first half. Pedda and Flat could be heard all the way across Majorna up until the pubs across the streets and we go into half time with great confidence.

Second half is underway, and we continue to create chances while Pushers themselves have a couple of half chances. On the counter, Pushers get a great chance down the wing and the cross comes in too quick for Viken to make contact and Paschim hardly had time to react to a good finish from their striker. 3-2 but not giving up, Fröjdens have a few chances of their own but fail to capitalize on them. Pushers get lucky with an underserving freekick which was clearly never a freekick even if VAR was involved but manage to score from another freekick, this time the ball goes into the net from the thigh of the player. Fröjdens kept pushing until the very last minute but when lady luck doesn’t favour you, it just doesn’t. The game ends as a 4-2 loss to Fröjdens FK but it is very early in the season. With games being played over two rounds (home and away), Pushers would definitely be up for the taking in the second leg which would be a home game for Fröjdens. Thanking all the fans who turned up in numbers and Pushers for a great game, signing off for the Påsk weekend is your very own Maharaja from the sub-continent.
Paschim Prasad