Ystad seemed to be heading for a comfortable victory on Friday evening.
Then Eriksdallshallen started to swing. Massive public support enabled Hammarby to turn the tide in the second half, and take home the second SM final in handball.
At halftime, there was a three-goal difference, and in the second half, Ystad had almost counted home the match ball in the match series and started to focus on the next match. With 15 minutes left, the away team led by five goals.
But “Bajen” did what they could to catch up, driven by a swinging home crowd.
And it helped.
With just over seven minutes left, it was unexpectedly tied, and a minute later, Hammarby took the lead. A lead they would not relinquish.
The final score was written 37–35 to Hammarby, and thus it is even in the final series.
We fight and struggle, we don't give up even though it's a bit tough and we're behind by a couple of goals. This shows what team morale does. I'm incredibly proud of the team, and it was exactly like this you wanted it to be on an evening like this, says Martin Dolk, who with his nine goals became Hammarby's top scorer, to Handbollsligan Live.
The Stockholm club has not won since the "glory days", when they won three in a row between 2006 and 2008. Ystad won last in 2022.
Next up is final number three, in Ystad on May 20.
