Hammarby IF secured a commanding 7-0 win against Östers IF in the Svenska Cupen, with the match taking place at home at 3Arena, according to major media reports. Östers IF had only won two matches in the preseason, one of which was against a division 2 opponent, according to reports. The victory highlighted Hammarby's tactical adjustments, as the team changed its playing system by moving away from two wide wingers, according to multiple sources. Frank Junior Adjei was fantastic in the first half against Östers IF, according to coach Kalle Karlsson. According to Fotbolltransfers, Kalle Karlsson described Adjei as a phenomenal football player with qualities to go very far. Wilson Lindberg Uhrström is a very skilled player, good with the ball and good at finishing, according to Karlsson's comments reported by Fotbolltransfers. Paulos Abraham has had a strong preseason and looked incredibly good, as noted by Karlsson in the same outlet.
Hammarby made strategic substitutions during the match, with Victor Lind coming on as a substitute after 60 minutes, according to multiple reports. Kone Sourou made his debut for Hammarby against Östers IF, sources indicated. The specific tactical instructions Victor Lind received when he came on as a substitute remain unclear, and it is uncertain how Hammarby's new playing system with a more central winger will affect their performance in upcoming matches.
He was absolutely fantastic in the first half. Incredible in small spaces. Many fine and smart runs. He is a completely phenomenal football player who has qualities to go very far. If you look at qualities, he is an impressive player.
Östers IF faces significant challenges, having been relegated from Allsvenskan last year and set to play in Superettan in 2026, according to reports. The team has a new coach, Max Mölder, and changes in the squad, sources said. Östers IF earned four points in the Svenska Cupen group stage, multiple reports indicate. The exact reasons for Öster's poor performance and numerous mistakes in the 7-0 loss to Hammarby are not fully known, and how Max Mölder will implement his strategies to improve the team's performance in Superettan remains to be seen.
Despite recent struggles, Östers IF aims to compete at the top in Superettan, according to sources. Östers IF will play against Helsingborgs IF away on April 5 in the Superettan premiere, reports indicate. Helsingborg won its premiere match against Öster 4-1, according to major media. According to Fotbollskanalen, Östers IF captain Sebastian Starke Hedlund described the loss to Hammarby as a learning experience that can be beneficial in the long run. He added that the team has had a useful and instructive preseason with development in play and performances, and looks forward to the season, aiming to be up there and fight in a difficult series where everyone can beat everyone.
Wilson is a very skilled player. Good with the ball and good at finishing. He just needs to get a better overall game to take the next step and establish himself.
Hammarby's shift to a new playing system could have broader implications for their season, though its full impact is yet to be determined. Östers IF's performance issues may require further coaching adjustments under Max Mölder to address underlying problems. The expected timeline for Paulos Abraham to return to his absolute top form is not specified, adding another unknown for Hammarby's campaign.
Paulos has had a flying start to this preseason and looked incredibly good. If you see him day in and day out, it was no surprise today that he came in and did well and made an impact immediately. He got to put in a couple of goals today and a real cannonball, it's a sign that he is on his way back to his absolute top form.
We will be able to draw a lot of lessons from that match.
We have good players and a playing style that we believe in a lot. We also have a broad squad with a good mix between young and a bit older, experienced players.
I think we have had a useful and instructive preseason with a new coach and new players. We have seen development in our play and our performances. We have focused a lot on that and it is moving forward.
It was like a slap in the face for us that I think can be good in the long run. We will be able to draw a lot of lessons from that match. I think we have recovered quite well. We stepped on a mine that match and we know what the feeling was afterwards and that feeling we don't want to have again.
We talk after every match and it varies depending on performance and result. There was perhaps a bit more to talk about after that match, but we had very good talks. What was nice was that everyone agreed that something went very wrong in that match. We talked out what went wrong and how we can improve it going forward.
I look forward to the season very much. Superettan is a very difficult and tough series, where basically everyone can beat everyone. It will be very fun and exciting.
We want to be up there and focus on taking match by match. We focus on our performances, which we hope will lead to results in the end.
We want to be up there and fight, like most teams in the series. It is a difficult series and everyone can beat everyone, so it's about holding on throughout the season.