Lugi W vs AIK W

Unlike the first leg — where Lugi fought back from 9-5 and 15-12 deficits to briefly lead 22-23 before AIK held on — the return leg never swung Lugi's way. AIK absorbed the early home pressure and kept the scoreboard ticking. With the aggregate lead never seriously threatened, Lugi's need to chase goals played into AIK's hands, allowing the visitors to pick their spots on counter-attacks.

The Swedish Cup's new knockout format, introduced for the 2026-27 season, replaces the previous group stage with straight two-legged ties in the 1/16-finals. Both teams entered this tie in the same division — Handbollsligan Dam — meaning each side started with three shoot-out attempts per match, though neither leg required the shoot-out to decide the result.

Ellen Voutilainen (AIK): The standout across both legs. After leading AIK's attack in the 28-27 first-leg win, she again drove the offence at Sparbanken Skåne Arena.

Iris Sköldunger (AIK): Consistently created space and finished efficiently, forming a dangerous partnership with Voutilainen that Lugi's defence never fully contained.

Irma Wong (Lugi): Lugi's most reliable attacking outlet across both matches. She scored late in the first half of the first leg and remained a threat throughout the return fixture.

Player of the match: Ellen Voutilainen (AIK) — instrumental in both legs of the tie.

Lugi and AIK have now met six times since 2024, with Lugi holding a 4-2 edge in wins, though AIK have taken both of their victories in this cup tie. The aggregate score of 59-54 (28-27, 31-27) shows AIK were the better side across 120 minutes by five goals.

In the first leg, AIK led 15-12 at half-time and held on after Lugi briefly turned the game around in the second period. In the return leg, AIK's consistent scoring — they reached 31 on the road — underlined their attacking depth. Lugi, by contrast, managed 27 in each leg, suggesting a ceiling they could not break through against an AIK side that has now won back-to-back matches in this fixture for the first time.

AIK advance to the round of 16 (åttondelsfinal) of the ATG Svenska Cupen Damer, where they will face another two-legged tie. The winner of this round continues towards the Final Four weekend scheduled for March 2027.

For Lugi, the exit marks an early end to their cup campaign. They shift focus entirely to the Handbollsligan Dam regular season, where both sides will meet again in league play later this autumn.

AIK approached the two-legged tie with a clear game plan — win at home, then manage the lead away — and executed it almost perfectly. Lugi, despite flashes of quality across both matches, lacked the edge to overturn a one-goal deficit on home turf. AIK's progression is fully deserved.