FC Trelleborg

Ground: Ymorvallen

Visits: 1

Date: 4th May 2019

Match: FC Trelleborg - Nike 2-4 (Division 3 Södra Götaland)

Attendance: 120

With 3 (of 12) teams being automatically relegated and fourth from bottom ending up in the relegation play-offs there are plenty of new teams each year in Division 3. Division 3 Södra Götaland is the most southern of the 12 level 5-leagues in Sweden and for 2019 there are two new grounds for me to visit. I decided to spend the first Saturday of May in Trelleborg, the most southern town in Sweden. FC Trelleborg were founded in 2006 as a merger between BK Ymor and Stavstens IF and they are playing at Ymorvallen in eastern Trelleborg. Last year the club was promoted, via the play-offs, from Division 4 Sydvästra and with today´s opponents, Nike, winning that league in 2018 it was two teams familiar to each other who entered the pitch. The warm and nice weather we had in southern Sweden during most of April has now been replaced but much colder conditions and I actually brought my winter coat. As I arrived it was 9 °C but with the strong wind (it is always windy in Trelleborg) from the Baltic Sea it felt quite cold. As it later on started rain I even had to put on the extra warm sweater I had brought.

Nike has started the season alright with four points from their opening three matches. FC Trelleborg on the other hand has only two points and was in need of a win today. The first half was heavily dominated by Nike and despite four really good saves by the FC Trelleborg keeper Nike were 3-0 up at half-time. It was then 0-4 before the visitors relaxed a bit too much and FC Trelleborg could score two goals. 2-4 was the final score and as the final whistle was blown I could hear one of the ball boys saying “Yes, the match has finished. I don´t have to freeze anymore”. There are indeed many perspectives on a football match!