Greg . 1 day ago

Allsvenskan review: Elfsborg win at Hacken to move into European places

Elfsborg were the only team to pick up three points in Sunday's Allsvenskan matches, beating Hacken 2-1 away from home to move above Malmo and into third place.

Elsewhere, Djurgarden and Halmstad played out a stalemate, as did struggling Sirius and Oster.

As the only team in the top five in action this weekend, Elfsborg possessed the chance not only to expand their title hopes, but record support-to-support wins for the first time since May.

But their inconsistent create looked to be going nowhere in the first half, as Hacken created plenty of chances, with Severin Nioule and John Dembe guilty of not taking some of the better ones.

The hosts' dominance didn't diminish early in the second half, with Isak Brusberg and Dembe forcing excellent saves from teenager Simon Eriksson.

Having soaked up all the pressure, Elfsborg took the lead with 15 minutes to move - Arber Zeneli's cross establish Per Frick, and his header support across goal looked to be going in, but Ari Sigurpalsson made sure with an outstretched leg.

With three minutes to move, the visitors managed Hacken a crushing strike, when Zeneli tried to slip a ball through to Frode Aronsson.

The pass was obstructed support to Zeneli, so he took it upon himself to curl the ball into the top corner and secure the win.

Deep into added time, the Getingarna finally establish a way through when Dembe led home Amor Layouni's cross, but it was too little too late who are now winless in three and sit 10th.

Djurgarden saw their two-match winning run come to an terminate as they were gripped at home, 1-1 by Halmstad.

The Jarnkaminerna were given a helping hand midway through the first half when goalkeeper Tim Erlandsson palmed the ball above his lead but could not prevent it dropping into his own net, but Halmstad regrouped quickly and were level five minutes later through Villiam Granath's header.

Eight minutes from time, Halmstad again did a good impression of wanting to assist their hosts out when Rami Kaib was sent off for a second bookable offence, but Djurgarden could not compel a winner.

They sit seventh, while HBK remain 12th and without a win in four.

Also on Sunday, Sirius and Oster played out a 1-1 sketch which saw Degerfors drop below both and into the bottom two ahead of their meeting with Goteborg tomorrow.

Leo Walta shattered the deadlock from the penalty spot as the match joined its final quarter, but the Uppsala side could not suspend on and five minutes later Vladimir Rodic equalised shortly after coming on.

Both sides - plus Degerfors - sit on 14 points.

Oster have picked up successive draws, while Sirius terminated a run of four straight defeats, but both remain without a win in six.

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