BK Häcken beat Hammarby IF 1–0 in the first leg of the historic final in Uefa's new Europa Cup for women. Felicia Schröder scored the winner in the 22nd minute with an assist from Monica Jusu Bah. The return leg is on May 1 in Gothenburg.
BK Häcken took the lead in the first leg of the Europa Cup final with Felicia Schröder's goal in the 22nd minute at Tele2 Arena in Stockholm. The goal came from a counter-attack where Monica Jusu Bah delivered a precise pass from a long ball by Pernille Sanvig. The duo celebrated with a rehearsed goal gesture.
In the second half, Häcken's Anna Anvegård hit the post, while Hammarby's Svea Rehnberg also struck the woodwork. The match remained tight, with Häcken dropping tempo according to Schröder. "We go down in tempo in the second half," she told Aftonbladet.
Hammarby player Sofia Reidy called the loss a "big disappointment." "We are the better team," she said, promising revenge in the return leg. Häcken coach Elena Sadiku was pleased with her team's transitions: "Our start is exceptional."
This is the first season of the Europa Cup, Uefa's second-tier club competition for women after the Champions League. The final winner receives 80,000 euros, about 860,000 SEK, and a spot in next year's Champions League qualifying. Criticism targets the low prize money compared to the men's Europa League, where the final win yields far more.
