Visitors Degerfors will aim to distance themselves from the Allsvenskan’s relegation zone by beating Djurgardens IF on Sunday at 3Arena.

The hosts are eighth with 16 points after 13 matchweeks, while their opponents are fourth last in 13th place with 13 points following their 3-0 loss against Brommapojkarna on June 29, and they are only above the relegation playoff spot due to goal difference.

Match preview

Djurgardens drew 1-1 with IFK Norrkoping on June 30, a game in which they failed to win despite facing just three shots on target, 0.3 xG and four attempts inside the penalty area, whereas they produced 17 shots inside the box and 1.79 xG.

The home side have found goals difficult to come by of late, with the club finding the back of the net three times in their last five games, and they have failed to score more than once in a match in six consecutive outings.

Head coach Jani Honkavaara’s side have won their past two fixtures against the visitors by a cumulative score of 7-1.

The Iron Stoves come into their latest clash having only emerged as victors once in six games, succumbing to defeat three times.

Djurgardens are also winless in their five most recent outings at 3Arena, with the team being held to stalemates in three of those matches.

Opponents Degerfors will be frustrated by their loss against Brommapojkarna considering they conceded three times despite facing just 0.59 xG, though they failed to muster a single shot on target themselves.

In fact, the visitors have failed to score in two of their past three outings, and their record of 25 goals conceded makes them the top flight’s second-worst defensive side.

Boss William Lundin’s team are level on points with Halmstads BK, and are just one point in front of 12th-placed Osters IF, who occupy the second of two automatic relegation spots.

Bruket have been beaten in their last four matches – conceding nine goals – and they won one, drew one and lost two of their prior four.

Degerfors’s performances on their travels have been inconsistent, as while they have triumphed in three of their past six on the road, they were also defeated three times in that period.

Djurgardens IF Swedish Allsvenskan form:

Degerfors Swedish Allsvenskan form:

Team News

Djurgardens are dealing with numerous absentees, including suspended forward Zakaria Sawo, and injured winger Nino Zugelj.

Expect Patric Aslund, Tobias Fjeld Gulliksen, Oskar Fallenius and Tokmac Nguen to be stationed in the hosts’ attack, while Matias Siltanen and Rasmus Schuller may start in midfield due to the injuries suffered by Daniel Stensson and Isak Alemayehu Mulugeta.

With defender Adam Stahl ruled out until the middle of the month, Theo Bergvall, Jacob Une Larsson, Marcus Danielson and Keita Kosugi are the most likely candidates to appear in a back four.

The visitors will be without defenders Bernardo Morgado and Leon Hien, so perhaps Sebastian Ohlsson, Nasiru Moro and Mamadouba Diaby will play in a back three.

Degerfors could start Christos Gravius and Nahom Girmai in midfield behind attackers Elias Barsoum, Marcus Rafferty and Omar Faraj.

Djurgardens IF possible starting lineup:

Manojlovic; Bergvall, Larsson, Danielson, Kosugi; Siltanen, Schuller; Aslund, Gulliksen, Fallenius; Nguen

Degerfors possible starting lineup:

Jakobsson; Ohlsson, Moro, Diaby; S Ohlsson, Gravius, Netabay, Lindskog; Barsoum, Rafferty; Faraj

We say: Djurgardens IF 1-0 Degerfors

Degerfors will believe that they can earn a positive result on Sunday due to the hosts’ poor form at home.

However, Djurgardens recent record has still been better than the visitors’, and they are likely to find the back of the net against the away side’s leaky defence.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

Written by
Lewis Nolan

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