Djurgården has had a heavy start to the season in the damallsvenskan and before the home meeting with Eskilstuna United, the Stockholm team had only one victory in the initial six rounds. But now there are two victories in seven rounds.

Because despite Eskilstuna pushing for a draw in the final minutes, Djurgården held off and won 2-1 at Stockholm's stadium on Wednesday night. The home team's first three-pointer since 2-1 against Vittsjö a couple of weeks ago.

- It has not always gone our way, if you can say so, and now it will be difficult again in the end. But we kept it together and did it as well as a team, says Djurgården's two-goal shooter and match hero Michaela "Sheila" van den Bulk.

The Dutch midfielder first angled in 1-0 after a corner just at the end of the first half. In the second, the 31-year-old increased to 2-0 on penalties in the 71st minute after she herself was pulled down in the penalty area, even after a corner.

"Over my dead body"

The away team created nerves in the match through Kaisa Collins' 1-2 reduction in the 78th minute. But Djurgården, who as recently as last Saturday lost 3-0 to 3-3 against Kristianstad at the Stadium, this time held the game together enough to take three points.

- There was nothing else to do, we just needed to continue. We would just win. Over my dead body that we would not win. It was nice, and well deserved. This victory was important mentally, says "Sheila" van den Bulk.

2–1 meant that Djurgården lifted from ninth to seventh place in the table. On the same point, eight, as the sixth Eskilstuna but with a worse goal difference.

Next, Djurgården meets Växjö away on Sunday.

Want to look up

- We have talked a bit about that if we start winning matches, it will be easier. We will find our self-confidence and get better both offensively and defensively, says van den Bulk and continues:

- We have three matches this week - against Kristianstad last time, today and against Växjö - which are very important to us. Now we will aim for the next match, against Växjö. Of course we want to win it so we can look up in the table.

Gothenburg and Linköping are first and second in the damallsvenskan, both with 16 points in a limping table.