Robin Olsen räddade MFF – och hyllar supportrarna inför premiären

MALMÖ, SWEDEN – Robin Olsen delivered a vital performance in goal for Malmö FF during a pre-season friendly against Landskrona Bois on Thursday, making several key saves in a 1-0 victory. While the result isn’t the dominant display supporters might hope for ahead of the Allsvenskan season, the Swedish international goalkeeper acknowledged the importance of the positive result and the work still ahead.

“Of course, it feels good personally,” Olsen said after the match, as reported by Sydsvenskan. “But we can do much better, and we will work hard these next ten days before the Allsvenskan begins.”

The match, serving as a final tune-up before the start of the Swedish top flight, saw Landskrona Bois pose a significant challenge to the Malmö FF defense. According to reports, the Superettan side played with a physical edge, winning the majority of duels and creating several dangerous counter-attacking opportunities, particularly in the first half.

Olsen was called into action early and often, making two particularly noteworthy saves. The first came from a close-range header by Salomo Ojala, which Olsen reacted to quickly, making a reflex save near the post. Shortly after, he denied Markus Björkqvist, a familiar face to Malmö FF fans, with another impressive stop from just a few meters out. These saves prevented Landskrona Bois from taking an early lead and proved crucial in maintaining a clean sheet for Malmö FF.

“The header came pretty close,” Olsen commented. “Then it was a bit messy on my right side. With all respect to Landskrona, we should be able to do better. But of course, it feels good personally.”

Despite Olsen’s heroics, the game wasn’t without its concerns for Malmö FF. Landskrona Bois continued to create chances, with Ojala and Björkqvist both missing opportunities to score. The team’s ability to effectively deal with Landskrona’s counter-attacks was a point of discussion at halftime, with Olsen noting the need to be more proactive in stopping them, even if it meant conceding fouls.

“We’ve talked a lot about counter-attacks this week, and there’s a big difference from the last match,” Olsen explained. “But there were a few situations. We specifically talked at halftime today about needing to take a yellow card or a free kick to stop them.”

The breakthrough for Malmö FF came in the 78th minute through Yassin Mohammed, who marked his debut for the club with a well-taken goal. The young forward sprinted past the Landskrona Bois defense and calmly slotted the ball past the goalkeeper to secure the 1-0 victory.

While acknowledging the positive result, Olsen emphasized the need for continued improvement. He also highlighted the importance of the support from the fans, with 4,047 Malmö FF supporters already having purchased tickets for the Allsvenskan opener against Örgryte on April 5th at Gamla Ullevi.

“Now we’re taking this win. It means a lot. We need to build everything up and continue even when things are going well. We’ve had a good training week,” Olsen stated. “After the heavy 0-4 loss in the cup against Mjällby, only Anders Christiansen was allowed to speak to the media. Now the MFF goalkeeper spoke about the feelings after that setback.”

“That was incredibly tough, I think everyone understands. It hit hard. The first day we were in training after the match, everyone was down. But then you also noticed a reaction, there was more energy, and I think we’ve actually maintained that pretty well. We just need to take the loss to heart and do better.”

Olsen also acknowledged that the team’s performance wasn’t entirely convincing, with Landskrona Bois dominating possession and creating numerous opportunities. He appealed for patience from the supporters, recognizing that integrating new players and a new tactical approach takes time.

“It’s not the first time I’ve had a new coach. I know it takes time to adapt to new ideas. Then it’s up to us players to take it on as quickly as possible and get it onto the pitch. Of course, it’s not fun to stand here and ask for patience. Everyone in the locker room and around wants things to move faster, just like the fans. Everyone is on the same side, and we’re working hard.”

Malmö FF will be looking to build on this pre-season victory as they prepare for their Allsvenskan campaign. The team’s next challenge will be the league opener against Örgryte on April 5th, where they will aim to deliver a strong performance for their loyal supporters.