Match Of The Round – Swedish Cup

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National bragging rights on the line in battle for the Swedish Cup

In what has already been a huge week for Australian Football in Sweden following the announcement of Norrtålje as the host city for Euro Cup 2019, Saturday’s Swedish Cup is set to add the icing on the cake as seven teams descend on Malmo for the men’s round robin tournament and winner takes all women’s match.

The annual competition brings together sides from right across Sweden, as well as the Oslo Crows of Norway, with teams battling it out for the title of the nation’s best club side in the event hosted by the Port Malmo Football Club.

As the 2018 hosts, the Port Malmo Maulers will be out to maximise their home ground advantage and stamp their authority on the men’s competition in their quest to add another Swedish Cup to the trophy cabinet after winning the event in 2015 and 2016. 

Having begun their DAFL season with three strong wins from their four outings, including a big win over Odense last Saturday, the Maulers bring in enviable form and shape up as a major threat once again in 2018, but will have to overcome a dangerous Norrtålje Dockers line-up that is chocked full of Swedish national team talent and loom as a key contender.

The Dockers head into the tournament as one of the key contenders

The day will also see the clash of two sides at either end of the football spectrum in Sweden, as the nation’s oldest and newest football clubs go head to head when the Helsingborg Saints face the relative new boys of the Eksjo Bulldogs.

Rounding out the men’s tournament are the Oslo Crows, who have tasted Swedish Cup glory before when winning the competition in 2014, and after losing in last years final, the Crows will be out to give KB & The Doc something else to talk about by going one better in 2018.

The Oslo Crows, pictured at Champions Leauge 2018, have gained a cult following on Melbourne radio.

The women’s title will be decided by the full-length matchup between the Port Malmo Lynx, who impressed at the recent AFL Europe Champions League tournament in Amsterdam, and the newly formed Stockholm women’s side who enter their first Swedish Cup, with this game taking on extra interest with national team places up for grabs.

The women of the Port Malmo Lynx will be out to go back-to-back on Saturday.

Follow all the Swedish Cup action throughout the day via AFL Sweden on Facebook