Welcome to the electrifying Matchday 18 of the Allsvenskan! As the sun sets over the Swedish stadiums, anticipation crackles in the air. Teams clash, dreams ignite, and the roar of fans reverberates through the stands. Will Elfsborg’s precision outshine Sirius’s resilience? Or will an underdog rise, defying the odds? Buckle up, football enthusiasts, because this matchday promises drama, passion, and goals that’ll echo across the fjords!
Saturday 10 August
15/2 Halmstad | Draw 4/1 | Malmo 2/7 (15:00)
Halmstad begins matchday 18 with a tough match-up against Allsvenskan leaders Malmo. The 4-1 loss to Brommapojkarna last time out means they have registered four defeats across the last five outings in the league. Defensive issues continue to be the biggest contributor to their poor results. Malmo have been head and shoulders above the rest in the Allsvenskan this season but competing in UEFA Champions League qualifications has seen a dip in form. With a three-point gap at the summit, coach Henrik Rydstrom will know the importance of winning this fixture as Djurgarden hunts them down in second place. Back Malmo to win.
29/20 Norrkoping | Draw 9/4 | Vasteras 31/20 (15:00)
Noorkoping, after five consecutive defeats, has found a way to play out of the rough patch they found themselves in and has since secured three consecutive victories ahead of their clash with last-place Vasteras. Coach Andreas Alm will want to maintain this momentum and a win will see them climb to the top half of the table. Vasteras are finding it difficult to compete this season and have recorded three wins, three draws, and 11 defeats in 17 matches. Their performance will have to be near perfect to collect maximum points on the day. Back the home win.
19/20 Goteborg | Draw 9/4 | Varnamo 26/10 (17:30)
This fixture will be end-to-end as both teams look to end their poor run in the league. Goteborg is winless across the last three fixtures, but a victory here will see them move further away from the relegation zone which coach Stefan Billborn will welcome with open arms. Albanian international Arbnor Mucolli is the player to keep an eye on for Goteborg. Varnamo comes into this fixture low in confidence and desperate for a win after three defeats and a draw. Varnamo can draw some inspiration from their first meeting with Goteborg where they walked away 2-0 victors as they look to return to winning ways. BTTS and under 2.5 goals.
Sunday 11 August
13/20 Elfsborg | Draw 11/4 | GAIS 33/10 (16:00)
Elfsborg’s three-match unbeaten streak came to an end after Djurgarden narrowly edged them 2-1 previously. UEFA Europa League qualifiers are next up for Elfsborg before turning their attention to GAIS after they lost the first meeting 2-1. Playing at home is where they have picked most of their points this season and could be what helps them get the win over GAIS in this fixture. GAIS has the opportunity to take a step closer to the European places if they can replicate their first performance against Elfsborg where they walked away as 2-1 winners. Managing the game will be key to their success in this fixture as playing away from home is not their best quality. BTTS and over 2.5 goals.
19/20 AIK | Draw 43/20 | Mjallby 51/20 (16:00)
AIK, despite sitting in 10th place, are largely the favourites in this fixture as past results have seen them dominate this contest. The win against Vasteras last time out has got them back to winning ways following two consecutive defeats. While scoring many goals, they also concede plenty which could be the difference between having a good season and fighting to stay away from the relegation zone. Mjallby has recorded back-to-back defeats which has seen them fall out of the European places into fourth position. Elliot Stroud and Nicklas Rojkjær will be the players to get Mjallby back on track in this fixture. BTTS and Mjallby win.
13/20 Sirius | Draw 5/2 | Kalmar 36/10 (16:00)
Sirius backed up their impressive win over Malmo after they got the better of Varnamo in a six-goal thriller. Registering back-to-back victories will instill confidence and determination in the squad as they continue to build on this momentum going forward. The win against Kalmar in the first meeting will inspire another performance worthy of bagging all three points once again. Kalmar finds themselves in the relegation zone after 17 games and a serious turnaround is required if they look to fight their way out of this unfortunate position. Back the home win in this fixture.
12/10 Hacken | Draw 49/20 | Djurgarden 18/10 (18:00)
This is an important fixture for Hacken as a win will see them sit one point out of the European places. The comfortable 4-0 victory last time out against Vasteras was a confidence booster and preparation for this tough fixture against the best-performing away team in the league. Djurgarden will be up for the challenge in this fixture as they trail Allsvenskan leaders Malmo by three points. They come into this fixture on the back of a win and a draw which will help with the momentum of the team as they look to maintain their status as the best away team in the league. BTTS and over 2.5 goals.
Monday 12 August
21/20 Hammarby | Draw 22/10 | Brommapojkarna 22/10 (19:00)
This is the perfect way to end matchday 18 as both teams are performing at a high level. Hammarby is looking like a contender for the title with the way they have been playing in the last three fixtures in the league. They have scored nine goals, conceded one, and kept two clean sheets across these three fixtures. Brommapojkarna are no pushovers and should not be taken lightly. They have the third-best record when playing away from home and have won the last two home games. Confidence will be flowing through the team and coach Andreas Engelmark will expect the same level of performance and nothing less than maximum points from his team. Hammarby to snatch the win.
Written by Marc Strydom