Malmö IKGround: Kroksbäcks Idrottsplats Visits: 1 Date: 9th June 2023 Match: Malmö IK - Bellevue 1-1 (Division 4 Skåne Sydvästra) Attendance: 60 Friday 9 June was Graduation day (“Studenten”) in many parts of southern Sweden. With lots of games being played I decided to stick with football this evening though. Going through my options I decided to go to Kroksbäcks IP in Malmö for Malmö IK v Bellevue in Division 4 Skåne Sydvästra. Malmö IK played in division 5 last year and weren´t promoted at first. When Prespa Birlik withdrew there was an opening and being “best loser” Malmö IK were in the end promoted anyway. Kroksbäcks IP is only 4-500 metres south from Stadion, the home of Malmö FF, but when it comes to facilities the two grounds are in different universes. At Kroksbäcks IF there is an artificial pitch and a grass pitch next to each other and when I arrived, 30 minutes prior to kick-off, there was no-one warming up and the goals were not in position. I eventually spotted the referees who confirmed the game would be played on the grass pitch but they were also a bit puzzled. The referee was actually one of my former pupils and he told me he expected a tough game (to referee) tonight. Well, eventually the goals were moved into position and at 19.00 the game could start. At the artificial pitch there was actually another match being played so it was 2 for 1 this evening! The game had barely started when Malmö IK made it 1-0 but despite having most of the possession it was still only 1-0 at half-time. Bellevue equalised early on in the 2nd half but then the chaos started. Malmö IK had a goal ruled out for offside and in the aftermath cards were flying, including a red card for one of the substitutes. A few minutes later another goal for Malmö IK was ruled out, the referee decided the ball had been kicked out of the keeper's hands. The atmosphere was by now quite hostile but in stoppage time it got really ugly. A Bellevue player pushed a Malmö IK player who responded by flooring the Bellevue player with a punch in the face! A straight red card and a lengthy suspension coming up. It looked like he was going for the referee as well but other home players managed to stop him. It ended 1-1 and an eventful game came to an end. ![]() Welcome Dressing rooms Goal being moved East side ![]() South End ![]() West Stand ![]() North End Kick-off Players entering View of play East side East side View of play View of play West Stand Stadion (the home of Malmö FF) 2 for 1! |