Smilla Holmberg returned from a foot injury scare to play twice for Sweden and score in a dominant World Cup play-off victory over Lithuania.
Photo by Michael Campanella/Getty Images
Smilla Holmberg recovered sufficiently from a foot injury to feature in both of Sweden’s World Cup qualifying play-off matches against Lithuania, scoring in the 10-0 second-leg victory.
The Arsenal defender had sprained her foot in training on October 6, missing the following day’s session while undergoing treatment.
Sweden’s head of performance, Niklas Egnell, said: “She sprained her foot during yesterday’s training. Rehab, treatment and further examination await today.”
The injury initially placed Holmberg’s involvement against Lithuania in doubt, but she recovered in time to play 64 minutes of Sweden’s 5-0 away win in the first leg.
Photo by Michael Campanella/Getty Images
Holmberg then went a step further last night by scoring Sweden’s third goal in the 26th minute of their 10-0 victory.
The goal came from a cross by Bella Andersson, a player Holmberg knows well after playing together in Hammarby’s Under-17 side.
Stina Blackstenius also got on the scoresheet with her 44th and 45th international goals which made it 2-0 and 7-0 on Tuesday night while former Gunner, Amanda Ilestedt, now with Eintracht Frankfurt, scored to make it 8-0.
Blackstenius also scored in the 5-0 first leg win.
Sweden’s 15-0 aggregate victory across the two legs against a team ranked 94th sets up a final play-off against Scotland in a two-legged tie in November in a bid to qualify for the World Cup.
Photo by Michael Campanella/Getty Images