Swedish First

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Dominant Helsingborg achieve Swedish first
Published: Saturday 5 November 2011, 19.49CET

Helsingborgs IF are celebrating becoming the first team to win the three Swedish trophies in the same year after adding the Swedish Cup to their Allsvenskan and Super Cup titles.

Helsingborgs IF completed an unprecedented clean sweep of domestic trophies in 2011 by retaining the Swedish Cup with a 3-1 defeat of Kalmar FF.

Having claimed the Super Cup at the beginning of the season and wrapped up the Allsvenskan title in September with three games to play, the southern club have become the first team to win the three Swedish trophies in the same year.

Playing in their Olympia stadium, Conny Karlsson's side dominated the cup final from the outset, pouring forward and winning a succession of corners. From the sixth of those, taken by Christoffer Andersson, Álvaro Santos headed in the opening goal.

Kalmar equalised through Erik Israelsson's header before the break, but after the restart Helsingborg resumed control. May Mahlangu restored their lead following excellent approach play from Andersson and Rachid Bouaouzan, with Andersson finishing off the scoring courtesy of a Antonín Panenka-esque penalty after Kalmar goalkeeper Peter Wastå had fouled Bouaouzan.

"We've won everything that you can win in Sweden in a season," said Karlsson, whose team finished five points clear of AIK Solna in the Allsvenskan. "Of course, you can match that but you can't do any better."

CWL