Promotion playoff first leg – a precursor.

By: Luka | November 3rd, 2009

diflogo2_UZNP Assyriska sold over 6,000 tickets in just a few hours. Overall attendance for this massive game is expected to be 9,735 – the absolute maximum capacity at the Sodertalje Arena and a Superettan record. Djurgardens have been allocated 4,280, so they will have a sizable presence at the ground. Kick off is about 36 hours away (5:15am Thursday morning Australian time). Expect a full preview and write up tomorrow (but since I’m so excited, here’s a little precursor):

Coach Conny Karlsson: “There is no [factor] that will determine the qualifiers, it is probably more the mental game and who can withstand these kind of matches the best.”

DIF trainer Andree Jeglertz: “There is much at stake, but we have played with the knife at our throat for long.”

The DIF homepage conceits “Given the atmosphere at the Stockholm Stadium in recent matches, the question is if it will not sound as if it were Djurgården was at home on Wednesday.”
Assyriska are relishing this notion however, with coach Conny stating “Djurgården in a qualifier will be great for us, not because they might suit us better than other teams, but they become very public and very stimulating games.”

In March, Stefan Batan had the following to say about being sent on loan to Assyriska in the Superettan from DIF in the Allsvenskan: “I’ll show what I can do and that I belong in the League.” As fate would have it, Stefan is now in a position to take revenge against his parent club and make them regret ever sending him out on loan (and failing to include a clause in his loan agreement barring him from playing against them).

In what may or may not be an important factor, the first leg will be played on the Sodertalje Arena’s artificial grass. “It is clear that there is an advantage to us to play on artificial turf, but it is marginal”, Conny Karlsson half playing it up, and half dismissing it. DIF trainer Andree Jeglertz unequivocally dismisses this factor, stating it is “not very important, we have played several matches on artificial turf this year and trained all winter on artificial turf, we know how it works. “

Tihe Assyriska!