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Photo: JÖRGEN JARNBERGER / BILDBYRÅN
BORÅS. There are victories that mean a lot.
And losses that can mean everything.
After 2-1 at the top at Borås Arena, IF Elfsborg endures in the battle for European places, while IFK Norrköping loses important, if not decisive ground.
Five against three in the Allsvenskan table, another battle in the battle for the two European places behind the sovereign of the Malmö FF series.
Only the goal card differentiated between Elfsborg (+7) and IFK Norrköping (+14) before kick-off at Borås Arena. 90 minutes later, Elfsborg was the undisputed winner, both in the match and in the battle for a place in the European rankings in 2021.
But it was anything but a simple match for Elfsborg.
After a spirited start by the home team, mostly from left rider Jeppe Okkel’s side, Elfsborg got into the shit after ten minutes.
Irrelevant
Joseph Okumu unleashed a deflected shot from the right that the visiting goalkeeper did well to score wide. Robert Gojani resolved the situation by returning the ball to his own goalkeeper on a shot. What Gojani thought was irrelevant, the wide band went to goalkeeper Tim Rönning, who as a result scooped the ball up with his hands with an indirect free kick into his own penalty area.
– I don’t comment on the referee, but I don’t think Gojani consciously plays that ball, says Jimmy Thelin.
The free kick pushed super talent Ísak Bergmann Jóhannesson past Sead Haksabanovic, who shot high and hard from ten meters towards the ceiling of the net.
But the 1-0 was just under a quarter of an hour.
Simon Olsson opened the game on Johan Larsson’s right wing, where Norrköping lacked his usual left-back Lars Krogh Gersson (replaced by Egzon Binaku). Then, Olsson ran at least 60 meters at high speed and finished with a quick and effective attack by Elfsborg at the far post: 1-1.
A result that lasted much longer.
Didn’t stop Larsson
At half-time IFK Norrköping coach Jens Gustafsson replaced a weak Binaku, dropped Bergmann Jóhannesson as left-back and Abdulrazaq Ishaq entered the attack.
The switch gave Norrköping a bit more control of Elfsborg right-back Johan Larsson’s offensive excursions, but not good enough. With twenty minutes remaining, Gojani opened the game in the right direction, Larsson quickly passed Bergmann Johannesson and Henrik Castegren, was brought down by the latter and referee Mohammed Al-Hakim launched a penalty.
Per Frick put the ball into goal through the hands of Isak Pettersson at 2-1, the final result of the match. Henrik Castegren had an open position to equalize towards the end, but he was unhappy even in that situation and completely free shot some ten meters overhead.
An extremely important victory for Elfsborg, who is heavily involved in the European journey, while Norrköping is left behind.
– We looked better against AIK. Today, I don’t think we did well. We became passive and seemed lazy. Hopefully we can get some players back and move on from there, says Jens Gustafsson.
Later tonight, Djurgården meets Falkenberg at the same time as Hammarby and BK Häcken meet at Tele 2 Arena.
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