The MFF took their first cup title in 33 years – and their longing for the blue sky is finally over.
Milos Milojevic had to show he was a winner, in a victory that could turn the season around.
Hammarby and Malmo FF I made it to the cup final with two completely different springs in the back. While the MFF saw one of Allsvenskan’s heaviest starts in a very long time, with Milos Milojevic having an improbably long injury list and it was hard to get continuity on anything, Marti Cifuentes had a clean honeymoon. MFF pulled out after the last loss against Häcken. third in a row.
Martí Cefuentes and Hammarby were praised for almost the entire spring. A well deserved greeting must be said. In short order, Cifuentes built on the offensive game that the Sports Department decided Hammarby would already invest in with hiring Stefan Belborn four years ago.
Hammarby regained his identity
The big difference, however, is that the Spaniard was able to combine an entertaining, fast-paced, offensive game with self-defense. Neither Bilburn nor Milos Milojevic succeeded. You can also think what you want about Cifuentes getting his own rhyme in just five months, but he definitely gave Hammarby his offensive identity.
However, not much appeared in the cup final, which was marked by a war of positions and a lot of closed positions. None of the teams came out particularly offensive. Darijan Pojanic had a golden opportunity to give Hammarby an early goal, but Diawara saved a powerful shot from the edge of the penalty area. 0-0 after full-time and overtime meant that penalty kicks had to be decided.
There, MFF has been the coolest and has benefited from the progress of his players, as there has been a lot of talk about this season. Also, 7,000 visiting team fans rallied in cheers when Ismael Dewara saved Astrit Salmani’s penalty kick.
Thus the curse of the blue sky was shattered. 33 years of cup longing ended when the defending champions returned home with the 2022 Sweden Cup.
This gives Milojevic peace of mind
Milos Milojevic received some criticism for introducing the MFF to Allsvenskan. But the players praised his energy, international touch and accuracy. And no one can take away from him that in a short time he decided the title of the Malmö FF Cup. This gives him peace of mind and even if there are tough demands in the MFF, he’ll be able to live on this for a long time. Above all, a cup title and a victory like this is something that could transform an entire season for an MFF.
They seemed to be on their knees for long periods in the second half. But she managed to persevere. And although Hammarby yelled for a penalty when Björn Poulsen was beaten in the penalty area a few minutes into extra time, it was impressive to see how the MFF finally gained strength.
Now they will finally celebrate that cup title and that the team has every chance in the world to change course this season.