AIK coach Mikkjal Thomassen has a reputation for being tough, demanding, consistent.
He is also fearless.
Few matches, apart from the derbies against Djurgården and Hammarby, evoke such strong emotions in AIK supporters as the meetings with IFK Göteborg. Into the stomach-butterfly-inducing heat on Strawberry arena, the teenagers Kevin Filling, 16, and Yannick Geiger, just turned 18, were thrown.
From the start – and as Allsvenskan debutants.
Geiger, normally a central midfielder, was thrown in as left back due to the injury and suspension chaos (Dino Besirovic, Jere Uronen and Eskil Edh) in that position.
This is what you've dreamed of since you were little. Fantastic. And with the support we had. I couldn't really grasp it at first, he says.
"Do my thing"
I just tried to go out and do my thing.
Filling went before Andronikos Kakoullis and John Guidetti as a striker.
Success is a worn-out, often misused word, but this time it's relevant in the context. That's what Filling and Geiger stood for in front of 38,172 spectators.
Geiger's fine two-footed dribbling and turn along the sideline opened up the attack where AIK got a free kick. Whereupon Filip Benkovic powerfully headed in Áron Csongvai's ball to take the lead after half an hour.
Filling had so far mostly struggled with Göteborg's central defenders Jonas Bager and August Erlingmark and took a few knocks for the team.
With minutes left of the half, the chance came. Filling broke free in depth on Taha Ayari's pass. Calmly and controlled, he placed 2–0 between the legs of Elis Bishesari, Göteborg's goalkeeper.
"Go on instinct"
I didn't have time to think about anything, actually. I've ended up in many such situations, so it was just a matter of going on instinct and doing my thing, says Filling.
On Saturday, he found out that his Allsvenskan debut was waiting.
Of course, it was nervous, but it was still just a match. I've played many football matches and prepared myself my whole life for this. It was just a matter of going out and doing my best. That's what I always do, says the attacking talent.
After the break, AIK increased to 3–0. Benkovic's header after a corner was extended by Johan Hove with his head in the 61st minute.
IFK Göteborg has notoriously difficult times on the national arena in Solna. The last Allsvenskan win came on October 26, almost ten years ago.
To put it in the perspective of two Allsvenskan debutants: When Gustaf Engvall scored both goals in Göteborg's 2–1 win in the fall of 2015, Kevin Filling and Yannick Geiger were in elementary school.
