Mjallby vs Hacken

As the battle in the Allsvenskan’s higher ranks heats up, Mjallby and Hacken lock horns in an exciting duel at the Strandvallen.

Mjallby’s formidable run of four wins from five league games between late April and mid-May (D1) looks remote after back-to-back defeats to Goteborg and Djurgarden plunged them into fifth. However, the European qualification spots are still within striking distance, with third-placed GAIS only four points away. Manager Anders Torstensson will expect his side to return to the win column on home turf, where they’ve lost just one of their six league matches this season (W3, D2). And the upcoming rivals Hacken seem like a perfect opposition as Mjallby have won their last two top-flight H2Hs via a single-goal margin. Narrow victories have not been part of Mjallby’s nature this term. Three of their last four have come by multi-goal margins, let alone saw them score precisely three goals!

As nothing but goal difference separates them from their hosts ahead of the kick-off, Hacken might feel entitled to turning the tables on Mjallby in this fixture despite only winning once on their last four league visits (D1, L2). But to achieve that feat, the visitors must improve on the road after losing back-to-back away league matches via an identical 3-0 scoreline. It’s not like Pal Arne Johansen’s men have nothing to show. Before their recent slumps, they had scored precisely three goals in two of their opening three top-flight outings on hostile turf (W2, D1), breaking the deadlock within the first 25 minutes in both contests. Delivering action from the get-go, three of Hacken’s five away league games have produced 2+ first-half goals.