Revenge for last season and a bet on goals: Inter vs Häcken prediction
Inter
BK Haecken FF
The first-round Women's Champions League clash between Inter and Häcken will take place on September 22 at the U-Power Stadium in Monza. The Italian side have a chance to avenge last year's European exit, while the Swedish champions' relentless pace and prolific attack make this one of the most intriguing fixtures of the opening round.
Inter: fighting spirit in qualifying and a chance for revenge
Inter have won four and lost two of their last six competitive matches, beating Parma, Napoli, Lazio and Wolfsburg. Their Champions League qualifying campaign was particularly dramatic: after losing 2-0 to the German side, the Italians won the second leg 3-1 after extra time, before prevailing 5-4 in the penalty shootout.
The meeting with Häcken carries extra significance for the Milan side. The teams faced each other in the round of 16 of last season's Women's Europa Cup, with the Swedish club bringing Inter's campaign to an end. Now, the hosts have a chance to avenge that defeat at a higher stage of European competition.
Häcken: 52 goals and an almost flawless league campaign
Häcken are enjoying an outstanding season in Sweden: after 19 rounds, the team have recorded 16 wins, one draw and just one defeat, with a 52:13 goal difference. In their recent matches, the Swedes thrashed Eskilstuna 3-0, Vittsjö 4-0, Göteborg 2-0, Vittsjö again 4-1 and Brommapojkarna 6-0.
Their only recent dropped points came in a 1-1 draw with Malmö on September 6, after which Häcken responded with another three-match winning streak. In last season's European campaign, the team lost 3-2 on aggregate to Atlético Madrid in Champions League qualifying, but then went on to win the inaugural Women's Europa Cup, beating Hammarby 4-2 on aggregate in the final.
Match facts and head-to-head record
- Last season, Häcken edged Inter 1-0 at home before a 0-0 draw in Italy.
- Inter have scored 13 goals in their last three victories.
- Häcken have scored 30 goals in their last nine matches.
Both sides are delivering in attack: Inter vs Häcken prediction
The previous head-to-head meetings were extremely cagey, with the teams scoring just one goal across 180 minutes. The picture looks different now: both Inter and Häcken head into the group stage in significantly more prolific form.
Picking a winner here is risky, as the Italians are strong at home while the Swedish club rarely slip up in domestic competition. However, the current attacking form of both teams suggests we could see a much more open game than in last season's meeting.
