Sports Digest: Kalmar take command
Sports digest is The Local's weekly look at sporting events making the news in Sweden and beyond.
Football
Kalmar FF have emerged as the team to beat in the Swedish top flight as the season nears its close. With one game more played than their nearest rivals, the south eastern side leads the division by two points.
Goals from Henrik Rydström and César Santin secured them a crucial victory away to Brommapojkarna on Sunday. The hosts, who took a first half lead through Mikael Nilsson, now look almost certain to be relegated after just one season in Allsvenskan.
Fellow strugglers Trelleborg scored a priceless victory over Hammarby and are now three points clear of Brommapojkarna going into the final round of matches.
Back at the top of the table, Djurgården and Gothenburg can each pass Kalmar if they manage to win their Monday night games. But both face tricky away ties, with Djurgården travelling to Halmstad and Gothenburg making the trip to the capital and a high profile fixture against AIK.
Allsvenskan: Table and results.
***
There was rather less tension in the women's league at the weekend as Umeå easily sealed their third successive title with an 8-0 trouncing of AIK.
Though goalless for once, last year's World Player of the Year Marta pulled the strings that opened up the AIK defence time and time again.
With six points to spare over second-placed Djurgården, the Umeå players were good value for the gold hats they donned immediately after the game.
Boxing
Sweden's battling performances were rewarded at the weekend with one gold and two silver medals at the European Women's Championships at Vejle in Denmark.
Anna Laurell powered to a 13-3 victory over Russia's Maria Yavorskaya in the 75kg division.
Shipra Nilsson and Klara Svensson both made it to the finals in their weight classes (52kg and 63kg) but had to content themselves with silver medals.
Golf
Three Swedes were left ruing their chances when Steve Webster hit a stunning final round eight under par 64 to snatch victory at the Portugal Masters in Vilamoura on Sunday before breaking into floods of tears.
The 32-year-old mastered the Victoria Club course to take the £350,000 ($719,000) first prize, just five months after the death of his mother from cancer.
He celebrated by blowing a kiss to the skies.
His victory was achieved with a 25-under-par total, the lowest of the season on Tour, leaving him three shots clear of Ryder Cup Swede Robert Karlsson and six clear of the rest.
"I was thinking about her all the way round," said Webster who hugged his father Terry after winning. "Losing my mum really knocked me about. I didn't even think I'd get my card because it was quite tough.
"It was so hard to keep my mind on my golf. I knew she was watching out for me and it's an amazing feeling to play that well down the stretch."
Webster won only his second Tour title following success at the Italian Open in 2005.
He started the day one shot behind Argentina's Daniel Vancsik but went into the joint lead on the outward nine before taking charge on the inbound nine following an eagle at the 12th.
Three more birdies in the next five holes sent him clear and despite shooting a bogey on the last, his 64 was still the lowest closing round by a winner all year.
Karlsson also impressed, shooting a 65 himself, while Lee Westwood, Vancsik and two more Swedes, Peter Hanson and Fredrik Andersson Hed finished tied for third on 19 under.
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Football
Kalmar FF have emerged as the team to beat in the Swedish top flight as the season nears its close. With one game more played than their nearest rivals, the south eastern side leads the division by two points.
Goals from Henrik Rydström and César Santin secured them a crucial victory away to Brommapojkarna on Sunday. The hosts, who took a first half lead through Mikael Nilsson, now look almost certain to be relegated after just one season in Allsvenskan.
Fellow strugglers Trelleborg scored a priceless victory over Hammarby and are now three points clear of Brommapojkarna going into the final round of matches.
Back at the top of the table, Djurgården and Gothenburg can each pass Kalmar if they manage to win their Monday night games. But both face tricky away ties, with Djurgården travelling to Halmstad and Gothenburg making the trip to the capital and a high profile fixture against AIK.
Allsvenskan: Table and results.
***
There was rather less tension in the women's league at the weekend as Umeå easily sealed their third successive title with an 8-0 trouncing of AIK.
Though goalless for once, last year's World Player of the Year Marta pulled the strings that opened up the AIK defence time and time again.
With six points to spare over second-placed Djurgården, the Umeå players were good value for the gold hats they donned immediately after the game.
Boxing
Sweden's battling performances were rewarded at the weekend with one gold and two silver medals at the European Women's Championships at Vejle in Denmark.
Anna Laurell powered to a 13-3 victory over Russia's Maria Yavorskaya in the 75kg division.
Shipra Nilsson and Klara Svensson both made it to the finals in their weight classes (52kg and 63kg) but had to content themselves with silver medals.
Golf
Three Swedes were left ruing their chances when Steve Webster hit a stunning final round eight under par 64 to snatch victory at the Portugal Masters in Vilamoura on Sunday before breaking into floods of tears.
The 32-year-old mastered the Victoria Club course to take the £350,000 ($719,000) first prize, just five months after the death of his mother from cancer.
He celebrated by blowing a kiss to the skies.
His victory was achieved with a 25-under-par total, the lowest of the season on Tour, leaving him three shots clear of Ryder Cup Swede Robert Karlsson and six clear of the rest.
"I was thinking about her all the way round," said Webster who hugged his father Terry after winning. "Losing my mum really knocked me about. I didn't even think I'd get my card because it was quite tough.
"It was so hard to keep my mind on my golf. I knew she was watching out for me and it's an amazing feeling to play that well down the stretch."
Webster won only his second Tour title following success at the Italian Open in 2005.
He started the day one shot behind Argentina's Daniel Vancsik but went into the joint lead on the outward nine before taking charge on the inbound nine following an eagle at the 12th.
Three more birdies in the next five holes sent him clear and despite shooting a bogey on the last, his 64 was still the lowest closing round by a winner all year.
Karlsson also impressed, shooting a 65 himself, while Lee Westwood, Vancsik and two more Swedes, Peter Hanson and Fredrik Andersson Hed finished tied for third on 19 under.
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