/We return to Allsvenskan, where several teams are in the hunt for European spots, while others hope to climb out of the relegation zone. Let’s start with Elfsborg, who are set to face GAIS.
It took a little time for Elfsborg's new coach, Oscar Hiljemark, to settle in, but now it’s clear why Elfsborg chose to invest in the young manager. Elfsborg has been going from strength to strength, both in the league and in Europe. This past week, they secured an impressive draw away against Croatian side Rijeka, with the return leg next week at home in Borås. Whenever an Allsvenskan team is competing for European spots, there’s always concern about how much rotation we’ll see in the league match, and today is no exception. Even though they got a good result, they still need to finish the job at home. I expect to see some rotation against GAIS. The team comes into the match with tired legs, but they are relatively injury-free.
The Gothenburg side has undoubtedly been this season’s biggest surprise. The team’s work ethic, running, and fight for each other in every match have been impressive to watch. A few weeks ago, I predicted that they would start to lose steam, but then they won two straight matches against AIK. Most recently, they faced Norrköping and eventually suffered a loss, which was deserved, it must be said. However, GAIS is a team that tends to bounce back after poor results. This season, they haven’t managed a single draw in away games—it’s been three wins and six losses—but they’ve never been completely outplayed, always staying competitive and never backing down. Heading into this match, however, they’re dealing with some troublesome injuries, and it’s unclear who will be available.
I think we’re in for a close match here. Elfsborg is a strong team at home, but as mentioned, I expect significant rotation. This could allow GAIS to snatch a result today, but the question is whether they’re starting to run on empty or if they can squeeze out even more from the squad. Regardless, I believe they’ll at least keep it close in the first half. Let’s go with a bet on a draw or GAIS leading at halftime at odds of 1.54.
It’s been a turbulent season for AIK, with a sacked coach, underperformances, and turmoil in the leadership. AIK’s new coach, Thomassen, finally secured his first win by defeating bottom side Västerås 2-1. AIK had control of the match, but it still became unnecessarily tense towards the end as they defended their lead. I think AIK has been improving under their new coach, and the question is whether that win could be the spark for the “new AIK.” On the injury front, things are starting to ease up as well—we even saw Guidetti back on the pitch(!). If he can get into decent shape, he should get more minutes today, and AIK could use someone to help Pittas in the attack. AIK is strong at home and must go for the win today, but the question is whether they can control the match.
Mjällby has been impressive this season and currently sits in fourth place, just two points behind Hammarby and a European spot. However, they’ve suffered two heavy defeats recently, first losing 3-1 to Elfsborg and then 3-0 to Hammarby. Now they face yet another tough away match. The club has also sold their defensive linchpin, Colin Rösler, to Malmö FF, leaving a huge gap in their defense. Adding to their woes, Tom Pettersson had to leave the last match due to injury, and it’s uncertain whether he’ll be available, while Arvid Brorsson will miss the match due to suspension. On a positive note, they’ve signed Abdullah Iqbal from Denmark’s second division, and given the current situation, Iqbal might debut right away.
It’s going to be electric at the national arena today. With a win behind them and newfound confidence, AIK will have the support of their 12th man in the crowd. Considering how things have looked, AIK has been making progress with each match, and I expect them to do so again today. They’re also up against a team dealing with injuries and new players, making it tough to face a hungry AIK. The odds have dropped significantly in recent days; a few days ago, it was 1.90, and now it’s down to 1.75, and it might fall even further in the final hours.
AIK VS. MJÄLLBY
1.75
WINNER - AIK
AIK VS. MJÄLLBY
1.75
WINNER - AIK
ELFSBORG VS GAIS
1.54
HALFTIME - DRAW/GAIS
ELFSBORG VS GAIS
1.54
HALFTIME - DRAW/GAIS
