In a match that could have massive ramifications on the fight for a European berth, Hammarby and Mjallby AIF will lock horns at Tele2 Arena in the Swedish Allsvenskan on Sunday afternoon.
Bajen are coming into this clash following a much-needed away success last time out, whilst MAIF will be desperate to respond after defeat on the road a week ago.
Match preview
© Imago
After collecting a single point from two matches following the month-long summer pause, Hammarby returned to winning ways for the first time in July last Saturday, when Bajen travelled to relegation-threatened Brommapojkarna and eventually escaped with all three points.
Following a goalless first half at Grimsta IP in Stockholm, the contest burst into life during the final 45 minutes, with well-taken efforts from attacking duo Bazoumana Toure and Jusef Erabi securing a two-goal success for the visitors, an eighth of the 2024 term overall.
Heading into this weekend's clash with top-three rivals Mjallby, Hammarby are occupying fifth position in the Allsvenskan standings, four points behind the Conference League qualification spots, where second-placed Djurgardens IF and Sunday's visitors are currently sitting pretty.
Bajen have been relatively impressive at their Tele2 Arena base so far in 2024, winning five and losing just two of their seven league matches at the venue, with only runaway league leaders Malmo (2) conceding fewer goals than Hammarby's six on home soil in the division.
Looking to achieve double-figure hauls in goals and assists for a third straight season at the Stockholm-based club, Nahir Besara is once again leading his club's attacking metrics in the Allsvenskan, with the 33-year-old bagging five goals and providing five assists in 14 appearances this campaign.
Mjallby's four-game winning run in the Allsvenskan either side of the summer hiatus came to a disappointing end at Boras Arena last weekend, when Elfsborg delivered a significant punch in the fight for a top-three finish and subsequent Conference League football in 2025.
Things started woefully for MAIF as 19-year-old Jalal Abdulai put the hosts ahead within a minute of the initial whistle, and the Ghanaian managed to secure his brace later in the half, before centre-back Sebastian Holmen put the game beyond the visitors early in the second period.
A 3-1 away defeat last time out meant that Mjallby lost vital ground in the currently one-sided race for the Swedish crown, with first-placed Malmo now a mammoth nine points ahead of third and looking set to lift back-to-back Allsvenskan trophies at the end of the campaign.
For a side battling in the upper echelons of the division, MAIF have struggled slightly on the road so far in 2024, with this weekend's visitors to Stockholm winning three and collecting just nine points from seven matches, a record that places them eighth in the away rankings.
Hunting down his former employers who sit in second place, ex-Djurgardens attacker Jacob Bergstrom is the main man at Strandvallen so far in 2024, making the net ripple on six occasions in 12 Allsvenskan games, meaning that the 29-year-old leads his side's Golden Boot race.
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Team News
Hammarby are short of options at centre-back due to the cruciate ligament injury of Frederik Winther, who is set to be sidelined for the remainder of the 2024 campaign.
A few weeks out of action is the official diagnosis for fellow defender Mads Fenger, with the 33-year-old veteran playing nine league games this term before sustaining a muscle injury.
Pavle Vagic is taking a couple of weeks out due to overload, meaning that the places of Victor Eriksson and Ibrahima Fofana in the hosts' backline are almost guaranteed.
As is the case with their opponents this weekend, Mjallby have also experienced cruciate ligament heartbreak this year, with midfielder Adam Petersson targeting a return in 2025.
After netting his first goal in over a year during May, Silas Nwankwo suffered a knee injury and is not expected back in action until early August.
Hammarby possible starting lineup:
Hahn; Skoglund, Fofana, Eriksson, Pinas; Karlsson, Tekie, Schellas, Gul, Toure; Erabi
Mjallby AIF possible starting lineup:
Tornqvist; Brorsson, Rosler, Pettersson; Johansson, Gustavsson, Rojkjaer, Stahl; Manneh, Stroud, Bergstrom
We say: Hammarby 2-0 Mjallby AIF
With Hammarby yet to share the spoils on home soil and Mjallby still awaiting their maiden draw on the road this year, we are expecting an outright winner in Stockholm on Sunday afternoon.
After collecting 15 points from seven matches at Tele2 Arena so far, Bajen should be confident of recording their sixth home success of the campaign against a visiting side who are inconsistent in away contests.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
