Marika Domanski-Lyfors

Marika Susan Domanski-Lyfors (born 17 May 1960), née Marika Susan Domanski, is a Swedish football coach and former player. She was head coach of the Sweden women's national football team from September 1996 until June 2005 and also coached the China women's national football team during 2007. She is nicknamed Mackan.

Marika Domanski-Lyfors
Domanski-Lyfors in 2014
Personal information
Full name Marika Susan Domanski-Lyfors
Date of birth (1960-05-17) 17 May 1960[1]
Place of birth Gothenburg, Sweden
Position(s) Defender
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1971–1974 Nödinge SK
1975–1979 Surte IS
1980–1985 Jitex BK
1986–1988 GAIS
Managerial career
1989–1993 Tyresö FF
1991–1993 Sweden women U20
1992–1996 Sweden women (assistant)
1996–2005 Sweden women
2005–2007 Sweden women U21
2007 China women
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

As a Jitex BK player Domanski-Lyfors won two League Championships (1981 and 1984) and three Swedish Cups (1981, 1982 and 1984). All of Jitex's regular players except left-back Domanski-Lyfors were capped at international level, because national team coach Ulf Lyfors did not rate her as a player. Marika disputed Ulf's judgement, but forgave him to the extent that the two were later married and had son Joakim.[2]

Managerial career

Domanski-Lyfors was manager of Tyresö FF from 1989 to 1993.[1]

Her own nine-year spell in charge of the senior Sweden women's national football team was considered a success. During her first international game as Swedish head coach, Sweden won against Italy, 1–0, in Torino on 9 October 1996.[3] The team were runners-up in UEFA Women's Euro 2001 and the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup, beaten by Germany in the final of both competitions.[4]

After returning to a role with the Sweden women's national under-21 team, Domanski-Lyfors accepted an offer to become head coach of the China women's national football team in March 2007.[5] She oversaw an improvement in the team's results and guided the hosts to the quarter finals of the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup.[6]

At the tournament, the Chinese hosts engaged in surveillance and intimidation of first round opponents Denmark. Domanski-Lyfors and her assistant Pia Sundhage were unaware of the incidents and Danish coach Kenneth Heiner-Møller absolved them of any blame, although he refused to shake hands after the match.[7]

The Chinese wanted Domanski-Lyfors to stay on for the 2008 Olympics, but she decided against extending her contract. In November 2007 she was appointed a technical director of the Swedish Football Association (SvFF).[8]

Marika Domanski-Lyfors can be seen in the 2013 Sveriges Television documentary television series The Other Sport.

Personal life

Domanski-Lyfors was married to Ulf Lyfors until his death in February 2022.[1]

References
  1. "Känslosam EM-premiär: "Ulf hade varit stolt"" [Emotional EC premiere: "Ulf would have been proud"]. Västerbottens-Kuriren (in Swedish). 4 July 2022. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  2. "Marika Domanski Lyfors fyller 45 år den 17 maj" (in Swedish). Helsingborgs Dagblad. 17 May 2005. Archived from the original on 6 July 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  3. Göran Sjögren (11 May 2004). "Drottning Victoria fyller 100" (in Swedish). Helsingborgs dagblad. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  4. Ashby, Kevin (17 June 2005). "Domanski-Lyfors leaves fine legacy". UEFA. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  5. "Domanski-Lyfors in final talks for China job". FIFA. 24 March 2007. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  6. "Soccer: Marika Domanski-Lyfors, China's Swedish coach might not be sticking around". The New York Times. 24 September 2007. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  7. Wahl, Grant (1 August 2008). "Danish coach accuses Chinese of spying at 2007 Women's World Cup". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  8. "Marika Domanski Lyfors åter till SvFF" (in Swedish). Swedish Football Association. 29 October 2007. Retrieved 27 May 2013.

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