Lyngby BK v AGF Århus, Danish Superliga

 

Lyngby BK 2-2 AGF Århus
Danish Superliga
Saturday 1 August 2026, 18:00 kick-off
Lyngby Stadium, Lyngby
Crowd: 7,346

This was my third visit to Lyngby, a leafy northern suburb of Copenhagen, the first being way back in 1986. Today's game was special because it was the club's first home game back in the top league and the visitors were the reigning Danish champions, AGF, from Århus in Jutland. It was a perfect evening for football with sunshine, a cool breeze and a well-filled ground.

Lyngby, like all clubs in the Copenhagen area, live in the shadow of the big two, FC Copenhagen and Brøndby, but have done very well in recent years despite limited resources. They were founded in 1921 and have twice been Danish champions, in 1983 and 1992, plus 3 cup wins. They have also come back from the dead, going bankrupt in 2001, reforming and climbing back through the league system, returning to the top tier in 2010. Their highest position since then was a bronze medal in 2017. They have also been a bit of a yo-yo team in recent years going down to division 1 but quickly returning, as they have just done.

AGF are from Denmark's second city and have a proud record with six championships. Their triumph last season was their first for 40 years and was rightly celebrated by their proud fans. They are almost a permanent member of the top flight apart from a few embarrassing relegations now and again. As in all countries, everyone loves to hate the capital city and so for the fans of AGF there's nothing better than beating the Copenhagen teams. AGF brought a big support with them for today's game filling the away end and half of the east stand and making a lot of noise with the now obligatory drummer leading the show.

Lyngby started the season last week with an impressive battle away to neighbours FC Copenhagen, losing 2-3 but could very easily have grabbed a point. AGF started with a draw at home to the other capital giant Brøndby.

The ground

This is a lovely stadium, not super modern but with plenty charm. It was built in 1949 but has been renovated and extended several times. The official capacity today is 10,000 and the record crowd is 14,794 against local rivals B1903 (now part of FC Copenhagen) in 1991.

The two main stands are all seating and the home fans are mostly concentrated in the bigger west stand where I found my seat. The south end is open terracing and was filled with AGF fans whilst the most interesting part of the ground is the north end. Here you find the clubhouse and changing rooms so the teams come out from the north-east corner. The rest of this end is a wonderful fan zone with kiosks, fan shop, bouncy castle, balls to kick and even a few table football games. It was very lively before the match and many people just stay there for the whole game, especially the kids. The grassy corner areas were also popular today with fans watching from there.

The fans were very vocal but well-behaved and the two sets mingled before and after the match with no signs of the aggression you see at other big games. As usual over here the beer flowed in great volumes and an awful lots of sausages were consumed. One kiosk offered an alternative in the form of pancakes with Nutella. My only complaint about the ground is that the entrances are rather cramped and it's not so obvious how to get in and out of the ground.

The game

This was an intensive and exciting match with plenty of chances at both ends. As in yesterday's match at AB, the visitors equalised in stoppage time to the disappointment of the home team and fans. Lyngby opened well and were very close to scoring after 10 minutes when a hard shot by Lauge Sandgrav hit the bar. AGF replied when James Bogere found himself free on the keeper and looked certain to score but he was forced wide and nothing came of it. 

It was an even match and there were plenty of robust challenges throughout. Then in the 30th minute a shot in the box was blocked by Lyngby defender Buur and a VAR check was made. It looked to me as if the ball simply hit his arm and there wasn't much he could do about it. This is always a difficult decision and after the VAR check the ref pointed to the spot. Could Buur have avoided the contact? I don't think so but technically I suppose it was a penalty. Anyway Kristian Arnstad, whose shot had lead to the penalty, made no mistake from the spot.

The second half played out like the first with intensity, chances and uncompromising challenges. But as the half wore on it was clear that the hosts had the advantage and pressed for a deserved equaliser. Their reward came after 70 minutes with a lovely free kick from Casper "Dani" Winter right into the top far corner. Lyngby went all-out for a winner and took the lead after a penalty from substitute Frederik Gytkær - no VAR check this time - and the home fans were in ecstasy. But fate dealt a cruel blow at the very end when a cross from the left was headed home by Jens Jønsson and that was that,

A very enjoyable match that had plenty of talking points and full value for money. Lyngby have two points from as many games but if they play as well as they did today I'm sure they will soon get a three-pointer.

Akademisk Boldklub v FC Fredericia, Danish Division 1

 

Akademisk Boldklub - FC Fredericia
Danish Division 1 (Betinia Liga), tier 2
Friday 31 July, 19:00 kick-off
Gladsaxe Stadium, Copenhagen
Crowd: 1282

Another weekend in Copenhagen for me and three matches to cover. This evening's game takes me to the western suburb of Gladsaxe and the first home game of the new season for newly promoted Akademisk Boldklub against FC Fredericia from Jylland (Jutland), newly relegated from the top league, Superliga).

Akademisk Boldklub (known to all as simply AB) were founded in 1889 and are one of the oldest clubs in the country. They started off as a merger between a students' cricket club and a football club and have always been seen as a club with academic roots. They have been Danish champions 9 times, the latest in 1967, and have made several appearances in European competitions. They were up in the top league in 1996-2004 and won the Danish cup in 1999 but since then AB have been in the second and third tiers.

The visitors, FC Fredericia, come from the east of Jutland and were founded in 1991 in a meger between two local clubs. They moved quickly up the league system and became an established team in the second tier until 2024 when they were finally promoted to the Superliga. Unfortunately their stay in the limelight was short and they were relegated the following season. Today they start their campaign to regain their place in the sun.

This game is the teams' second of the new season (Denmark plays autumn-spring in contrast to Sweden who play spring-autumn). AB earned a draw away to Vejle, also newly relegated from the Superliga, whilst Fredericia opened with an emphatic 3-0 home win against Køge. 

The ground

Gladsaxe stadium is an impressive ground for this level. It was built in 1998 and has a capacity of 13,507, though I don't think that figure has been challenged for quite a while. The main stand has two levels and though there were a hundred or so up on the top today most of the home fans were on the lower level and that felt pretty full. The main stand also features a nice club lounge/restaurant. The opposite stand was only for away fans and there were 150-200 noisy Frederica fans who easily won the vocal battle against the more restrained home support. The two ends consist of old-school terracing with crush barriers but they seem to be off-limits these days. Proper floodlight pylons in each corner too. I'd love to be there when it's well filled. 

The atmosphere was friendly and relaxed as at most Danish games and plenty of beer was consumed. The catering options however were limited to the Danish essentials of sausages and beer.

The match

Local heroes enter the stage (fan t-shirt at bottom right says "too big for division 2")

This looked like a fine home win right up till the end of stoppage time when the visitors forced a last-gasp equaliser. AB played very well, challenging for everything and looking dangerous on the counter-attack whilst Fredericia had more possession but created very few chances.

AB got off to the perfect start with a goal after only 10 minutes. Milan Silva Rasmussen beat a defender on the edge of the box after good work from fellow striker O'Vonte Mullings and fired home. They could have scored another a minute later when they came close twice. Indeed the home side will rue the many chances they missed during this match and that is one aspect of their play they need to sharpen. Otherwise AB look like a dangerous side to meet and have a solid defence. The visitors pressed for an equaliser but their crosses were well dealt with by AB keeper Benediktsson and a resolute defence.

This was the pattern for the rest of the match. Fredericia pressing for the equaliser but not creating many clear chances and then AB breaking fast with Rasmussen and Mullings as the main drivers. The game should have been sewn up well before the end but the visitors' persistence paid off in the second minute of stoppage time. AB defender Lindgaard tried to let the ball run out of play for a goal kick but lost the ball to Daniel Harbo who then crossed and Nemo Thomsen was on hand to nod home the equaliser for Fredericia.

The hosts will feel that they lost two points here but are still undefeated having taken points off both relegated teams. As the saying goes - it's not over till the generously proportioned lady sings.

Östers IF Växjö - Varbergs BoIS, Swedish Superettan

Östers IF (Växjö) 3-0 Varbergs BoIS
Swedish Superettan, tier 2
Monday 27 July 2026, 19:00 kick-off
Spiris Arena, Växjö
Crowd: 3267

Another visit to Växjö for this interesting match between Öster and league leaders Varberg. The lower leagues in Sweden are all on summer break until early August but the top two leagues are back in action. As with last week's report from Kalmar this is a ground I have covered twice before on this blog so I don't need to write about the ground or the home team's history (see Öster v Trelleborg, April 2023 and Öster v Örebro, April 2026).

Öster have had an inconsistent season so far, mixing impressive wins with lacklustre defeats, and were on 23 points after 15 games before this game. A win here would push them back into the promotion race. Varberg are at the top on 30 points but west coast rivals Falkenberg and Norrköping (after a disastrous relegation from the top flight) are both jostling for that top spot. This league is going to be very exciting as the season progresses with a lot of traditionally strong clubs all desperate to return to the Allsvenskan.

Varbergs BoIS, who play in green and black, come from the west coast and the town has a population of about 39,000. The club was founded in 1925 and their greatest achievement by far is their four seasons in the top league from 2020 till 2023. Last season they finished 6th in the Superettan but look impressive so far this season and will be looking to secure a return to the big stage. However, getting back up again is not easy because at this level you risk losing your best players when bigger teams come with lucrative offers. Transfers keep teams like Varberg and Öster in business but you always have to have new talent in the pipeline. 

The game

This was probably the hosts' best game of the season and a vital three points were won with solid defence and incisive counter-attacks. Sadly there were only 3267 fans in attendance but hopefully this result will tempt more to attend the next games. The away end was strangely empty, not a single Varberg fan as far as I could see. It's not a particularly long trip to make especially since most people are still on their summer holidays and considering Varberg's league position I can't understand why there wasn't at least one coachload of away fans.

The visitors started well and put the home defence under constant pressure. Their powerful Haitian forward Shanyder Borgelin came very close, forcing a good save from Öster keeper Lundahl Persson. Öster settled after the initial onslaught and created some a couple of good chances from Filip Olsson and the impressive Linus Carlstrand, who I suspect is already in the sights of bigger clubs. But there were few other serious chances and the half finished goalless with home fans hoping to see more incisive play in the second half.

They got their reward after 51 minutes when Filip Olsson broke free on the left, beat the outrushing keeper and slotted home the opener. Varberg had plenty of possession but couldn't finish. The home defence pressed them all the time with central defender Musa Jatta as my man of the match. He was fearless and uncompromising with plenty of robust battles against Varberg's tough target man Borgelin. After 68 minutes the home fans could celebrate again when a cross ball from the left found Linus Carlstrand unmarked at the back post and he made no mistake.

Varberg replied with more pressure to try and reduce the arrears but the deal was sealed four minutes from the end with a fine shot from the edge of the box by substitute Noah Söderberg. 

This win pushes Öster up to 5th place and hopes of at least a play-off place are high. If they play as well as this they'll definitely be up there in the promotion race at the end of the autumn. I really enjoyed this one and may be back again later in the year.

This coming weekend I'm off for another Danish weekend with three games in three days. Stay tuned.

Here are the video highlights plus my match photos.

 

Kalmar FF v Malmö FF, Swedish Allsvenskan

 

Kalmar FF 2-2 Malmö FF
Swedish Allsvenskan, tier 1
Monday 20 July 2026, kick-off 19:00
Guldfågeln Arena, Kalmar
Crowd: 9,175

I have already featured two games at this ground so I don't need to describe it or the history of Kalmar FF (see previous posts for Kalmar v Degerfors, May 2026 and Kalmar v Sirius May 2023). I don't feature all the games I go to here but this one felt special and so it turned out to be.

MFF have a big away support

Games against Malmö FF are always tough, given their illustrious history as one of the dominant teams in the country. Their greatest achievement was of course getting to the European Cup final (forerunner of the Champions' League) in 1979, losing 0-1 to Nottingham Forest, the goal scored by a young Trevor Francis. They have been Swedish champions 24 times with the latest title in 2024. I watched them regularly when I lived in that area back in the eighties and still have a soft spot for the sky blues (di blåe). Two English managers lead them through their successes of the late seventies and eighties: Bob Houghton who took them to European glory and then Roy Hodgson who later went on to be England manager amongst other jobs. Their biggest star player is undoubtedly Zlatan Ibrahimovic who came through their youth ranks and played a few seasons for MFF before heading off for global fame and fortune. Malmö, like all Swedish teams, makes money by developing young players and then selling them to continental clubs and they seem to have a conveyor belt of talent. They have also raked in a lot of revenue from frequent Champions League appearances though they will never match their 1979 level. As a result they should dominate the domestic schene but the wonderful thing about football here is that the clubs with the big money often get outsmarted by well-run smaller clubs like current champions Mjällby or current runaway league leaders Sirius.

Kalmar went into this match in 12th place with 12 points. They have been rather inconsistent so far but I was impressed when I last saw them a couple of weeks ago against Örgryte (from Gothenburg) when they won 3.-0. They play a more direct game now and press their opponents rather than the passive passing game they have played for several years. They also have more powerful players up front. Malmö have also been inconsistent and are in a modest (for them) 6th place and 15 points behind leaders Sirius.

The game

This was a cracker and a draw was probably a fair outcome though Kalmar could have sealed it in the last seconds of added time when a shot from Carl Gustafsson was briliantly saved by Malmö keeper Dahlin. The crowd was also well above average, swelled by a good away support who easily won the singing contest. The KFF website claimed that over 10,000 tickets had been sold but maybe many decided not to come on a day of torrential rain and a chilly wind - in stark contrast to the heatwave of recent weeks.

Malmö started well in the opening phase but after 13 minutes Kalmar replied with a beautiful goal. Charles Sagoe Jr, on loan from Arsenal, dribbled into the left of the box and laid on a perfect pass to an unmarked Carl Gustafsson in the middle who fired home. Kalmar fought hard and constantly pressed Malmö, often winning the ball and moving forward with confidence. It was a very even contest and it was no big surprise when the visitors equalised after 29 minutes when Noah John scored with a shot into the far corner after the defence failed to clear. But the hosts replied only two minutes later after a nice pass from Gojani found Charlie Rosenqvist in the clear and he calmly beat a defender and fired past the onrushing keeper to make it 2-1 at the break.

It was no surprise that Malmö would press for another equaliser, playing towards their vocal fans. They came close a few times and got a deserved equaliser in the 63rd minute when Adrian Skogmar curled a shot past a defender and into the net. Bothe sides had excellent chances in the last phase of the match but couldn't quite find the net. The hosts had the edge I think and that last second shot could have clinched three vital points. However, if Kalmar can play at this level they should keep well clear of the relegation battle. Malmö are rebuilding their side after losing a few key players but will certaily be challenging for a European place, though a title challenge would require several miracles.

Match highlights

Flares 

One issue I find hard to understand is the use of flares and fireworks in Swedish football. It's mostly the fans of the Stockholm teams plus Malmö and IFK Göteborg who let off flares and I can't understand how they manage to bring in so many despite the body searches. This game wasn't particularly bad and there were no stoppages - in many big games the referee brings the players off several times due to smoke engulfing the arena and it's so frustrating for all the fans who just want to watch the football. What is farcical is that every time a flare was lit there was a message on the loudspeakers that Swedish football has zero tolerance with all forms of pyrotechnics and that the perpetrators will face severe punishment. No one seemed to pay a blind bit of attention to these announcements and a few minutes later another flare was lit. The warnings felt rather farcical as the match wore on. Maybe the police have good undercover work but I saw no evidence that the ultras were deterred in any way. 

I admit the pyrotechnics look impressive sometimes. I've been to many matches in Poland where flares are an accepted part of the match experience but there must be cases where people get hurt and nobody wants matches to be delayed for 20 minutes or so. Either we have a total ban that is enforced, with extra security checks on entry, or we have to accept it all. Simply appealing to people's better judgement has no effect whatsoever on the ultras who enjoy disrupting. Kalmar FF did everything by the book in this match but this is something Swedish Football has to address properly.

Landskrona BoIS v IFK Värnamo, Swedish Superettan

 

Landskrona BoIS 1-0 IFK Värnamo
Swedish Superettan, tier 2
Sunday 28 June 2026, 15:00 kick-off
Landskrona Idrottsplats
Criowd: 3,285

Once again I made a Sunday trip south to see another match in the exciting and unpredictable second tier. Last week in Helsingborg it was very hot but this week, a short distance down the coast to Landskrona, was stiflingly hot. One report I have read claimed it was 33 C and that means much hotter out on the field with hardly a light breeze as relief. It was really too hot to play football and my consolation was that I had a seat in the shade. The players must have been completely exhausted after well over 90 minutes out in the furnace and if summers are going to be like this in the future then Sweden could well consider moving to an autumn-spring football season, as Denmark did a few years ago.

Landskrona is known as an industrial city with shipyards, textiles and engineering featuring over the last 150 years, but has also a history going back to the middle ages as an important miltary stronghold on the Öresund channel between Sweden and Denmark. Football has a proud tradition here and the club was a founder member of the top league in Sweden, Allsvenskan, in season 1924-25. Since then, Landskrona BoIS (who play in black and white stripes) have played 34 seasons in the top flight, the latest period up there being 2002-2005. Their most successful years were probably the 1970s when they won the cup and managed a couple of European appearances, losing to Ipswich Town in the 1977-78 UEFA Cup for example. In recent years they have managed to win play-off places but have fallen at the final hurdle and are hoping that this will be their year for a return to the big time. In anticipation of this the ground is being rebuilt, more about that below. At present they sit in 4th place only 3 points off the top and have had some impressive wins in the last few weeks, including a convincing 3-0 win away to fierce rivals Helsingborg.

In contrast, IFK Värnamo (playing in white and blue, but all black for today's game) have had a miserable season after relegation from Allsvenskan last season. They are second bottom with only one point from their last 10 games and a second relegation is staring them in the face. They are a small town club that made a miraculous climb to the top thanks to good talent development and good management rather than splashing out on star players. But as so often happens with such clubs, one day they run out of steam and head downwards again. They have some good players but simply can't get a break. The short summer break now will hopefully give them a chance to regroup.

The ground

Under construction - where the main stand will be

The new ground is taking shape and three sides are in place and the new main stand should be ready for next season. The old ground had lots of character with plenty open terracing but it was definitley time to rebuild. The old ground saw crowds of over 17,000 back in the fifties. Its main claim to international fame though was hosting the Faroe Islands' first competitive match in the qualifying round of the European championship in 1982 when they sensationally beat Austria 1-0. 

Today's stadium consists of three (soon four) matching stands in club colours, black and white, but open in the corners and I think it will have a 10.000 capacity when finished. The present main stand was well filled - the photo on the right was taken before kick-off. The home end stand is all covered terracing, much appreciated by the ultras (very vociferous all through the game) and the away end is half seating and half terracing for the away fans. This end was sadly empty for this game apart from seven long-suffering but hardy away fans. I read a suggestion that the seating at this end could be filled with complimentary seats for local boys and girls' teams and even if this doesn't add much revenue they would provide extra vocal support. It's always a bit sad to see empty stands but if Landskrona keep up their challenge at the top they should soon fill the ground.

At the moment the area is a big building site and getting to the entrance was rather complicated and definitely not obvious. Around the ground is a massive sports complex with indoor halls, ice-rink, training pitches etc and will be very impressive when it's all finished.

The match

First half free kick for Värnamo

Given the blistering heat this was not an action-packed game. I had been looking forward to seeing Landskrona's fast and very skilful forward Constantino Capotondi but he was suspended for today's match. His absence was clear as the home team lacked the fast incisive attacking football that has been their trademark in recent weeks. The first half was uneventful with Värnamo looking more likely to score and on the whole they could find some grains of hope from today with a tighter defence and some promising attacks with the tricky Shamoun as orchestrator. The hosts had a few half chances but in general they were rather subdued with many missed passes and no real sustained pressure. 

The second half saw a more determined home side putting pressure on Värnamo from the start and in the 62nd minute they got the breakthrough. The busy Japanese midfielder Kota Sakurai was felled in the box and  the referee pointed to the spot. Edi Sylisufaj shot home what proved to be the winner (sse photo below). After that Värnamo wilted in the heat and although the hosts created a few more chances the game was already sewn up. I missed the last 15 minutes because I had a train to catch and the walk to the station was about 25 minutes. Missing that train would have meant a two hour wait. Because of all the building work there was only one way out of the ground and that was in the opposite direction to where I wanted to go.  After a few diversions I finally found my route and had to walk quickly in the heat, meaning that I got to the station soaking wet with sweat. I was pleasantly surprised to hear afterwards that I hadn't really missed anything.

Another new ground visited and added to my map and although it wasn't the best game or conditions I think Landskrona will be up there in the promotion race in the autumn. I hope Värnamo can find some inspiration over the summer break and avoid another relegation. I visited them a couple of seasons ago on a very wet afternoon in October but wasn't writing this blog then. Photos from there are of course on my map.

Penalty goal

More than football

As always when I go on my travels I spend at least a few hours seeing the sights and maybe visiting a museum or art gallery. Despite Landskrona's reputation as a working class industrail town it also has a long history and a picturesque centre. The population today is about 36,000. The town was founded back in the early 15th century but the real development started at the end of the 17th century when it became a military stronghold with the building of an impressive citadel with moats and fortifications. The museum offers a well-presented and interesting introduction to the town's history and industrial heritage. My visit there was even better because it was nice and cool inside! My photo collage below gives you a few glimpses of the sights. If you wonder why it all seems rather quiet remember that this is a Sunday morning in a heatwave!

Tourist information - Visit Landskrona.

Möre BK v Söderåkra AIK, Swedish regional division 6

 

Möre BK 1-0 Söderåkra AIK
Swedish regional division 6, tier 8
Thursday 25 June 2026, kick-off 19:00
Loverslunden, Hagbytorp
Crowd: officially 65, but I counted 80 midway through 1st half

With daytime temperatures here around 30 C and higher forecast for the weekend it's best that lower league matches are played in the evenings when the sun isn't so intense. Nevertheless it was a very hot evening with no breeze to provide a little coolness so I can imagine the players were mighty tired after this. This ground is a short hop from home, about 20 km south of Kalmar. Möre BK are a relatively new club, the result of a merger, but their website doesn't have any historical information so I can't give any historical details here. The club name refers to the area rather than any specific place. Söderåkra is a nearby village with almost 1,000 inhabitants and the club was founded back in 1938. So this was a bit of a derby and there were quite a few away fans.

Both clubs sit in mid-table in the local division 6 (Kalmar/Öland) and certainly want to go into the short summer break (no local football in July) with a few more points. The hosts play in red and black and the visitors in all blue. 

The ground

This is a lovely rural ground surrounded by a variety of trees, particularly tall ones on the east and north sides. The atmosphere is very relaxed and once again I guess that most of the people were friends and family of the players. There are changing rooms and a kiosk beside the entrance and then the west side has the dugouts and long benches for the spectators. The opposite side has an electronig scoreboard and a long simple bench and behind the trees is a training pitch. There are basic floodlights though I don't know if they are used for matches.

I managed to get my half time tea but it took time for the guy to find the kettle. As I have mentioned rather often here tea is not big at football matches in Scandinavia but the people at local grounds generally find a way to oblige even if tea isn't officially on the menu. The players took refreshment breaks in each half and the temperature didn't fall much below 30 C at any point.

The match

Möre held on to the three points after a tight and fiercely contested match. Chances were few and far between but both sides fought for every ball with some crinching tackles. The only goal came after 17 minutes when Isak Olsson got the ball on the right side of the box and fired home in the small gap between the diving keeper and the post. Söderåkra probably had more of the play in the first half but couldn't really make much impact apart from a shot off the post.

At half time neither team wanted to go into the probably hot and stuffy changing rooms and elected to sit on the field for their tactical discussions. The second half was pretty even but the hosts probably had the edge forcing a few fine saves from the visitors' keeper Nilsson. Söderåkra tried hard to force an equaliser but the home defence held out and were very relieved to hear the whistle. They now have one game left before the summer break until the second week in August.

Helsingborgs IF v GIF Sundsvall, Swedish Superettan

 

Helsingborgs IF 5-2 GIF Sundsvall
Swedish Superettan, tier 2
Sunday 21 June 2026, 15:00 kick-off
Olympia stadium, Helsingborg
Crowd: 5,131

A day trip down south to Helsingborg, Sweden's ninth largest city with just over 116,000 inhabitants. It's also the closest city to Denmark with only 3.7 km over the water to neighbouring Helsingør, 20 minutes by ferry. More about the city at the end of this post.

Helsingborgs IF, or simply HIF as everyone calls them, are big names in Sweden having won the championship seven times plus five cup wins but have had lean times recently spending most of their time in the second tier with a few brief visits in the top league; the last time was 2022. Their last title win was in 2011, managed by the legendary Henrik Larsson who both played for and later managed HIF, as well as becoming a folk hero in Glasgow with Celtic and playing no less than 106 times for Sweden. The set-up at Olympia, their home since their foundation in 1909, deserves top league football and although today's attendance was modest they have a big following and can fill the stadium when things are going well. The city longs for a return to the big time but this league is not so easy to get out of as several other leading clubs have discovered over the years. The intense derby matches against Malmö FF are particularly missed though their rivalry with nearby Landskrona BoIS is a good alternative for the time being.

This season has been frustrating for HIF mixing encouraging wins with embarrassing defeats, particularly a painful 0-3 defeat at home to rivals Landskrona a couple of weeks ago. They occupy a mid-table position but need to put together a few wins to climb into the promotion race. The visitors today, GIF Sundsvall, are in a perilous position sitting bottom of the table with only 9 points after 13 games and only 11 goals to their credit. GIF have spent quite a few seasons in the Allsvenskan in recent years but are now facing a tough struggle to avoid dropping into the regional division 1 and at the moment there are few positive signs to note.

So, this is a game that HIF need to win to keep them at least on the fringe of the promotion race.

The ground

Olympia has been rebuilt in recent years and is now a comfortable modern all-covered stadium with a capacity of 16,000. The usual facilities of a modern ground are all there with executive boxes, restaurants, a fan pub and a home supporters' end with safe standing. I didn't know this beforehand but today was the last game on the old grass pitch and after the match fans were invited to wait outside where they could get a slice of Olympia turf to take home and treasure. I didn't feel the need to take home a piece of turf and also had a train to catch so I didn't hang around to see how the turf distribution was handled.

Food and drink

As you may have read in previous posts I usually eat before matches since, especially in Sweden, there is usually nothing on sale for vegetarians like me. So I was already well fed before this match but had to check the kiosk menu and to my amazement they had both veggie sausages and veggie burgers for sale! Nothing spectacular but still, better than most clubs. Gold star to HIF! They even had tea. Two gold stars.

The match

As the old cliché goes, it was a game of two halves. The first was slow, nervous and rather dull with few chances. The visitors started well and had most of the pressure in the opening 15 minutes. HIF took over possession but their attacks fizzled out around the penalty area. Then after 33 minutes Malte Hallin headed in a corner from the left and the small band of intrepid away fans (10 of them I think) celebrated. Here we go again said a few home fans around me, anticipating another embarrassing match, but HIF managed to raise their game and started threatening. The pressure paid off a few minutes before the break when the powerful Kevin Nyarko stabbed the ball home after a nice through pass. Half time arrived and we wondered if the hosts could raise their game further in the second.

After the break it was all HIF as they piled on the pressure and the Sundsvall defence looked increasingly vulnerable. Nyarko provided the pass and found Gigovic free around the penalty spot and made no mistake. The relief was tangible around the ground. Two minutes later it was 3-1 after the defence failed to clear a ball and Max Svensson shot home from the left. HIF were now dominant and creating plenty of chances with midfielders Nordin and Bengtsson as the playmakers. Gigovic scored his second on 76 minutes and Nordin scored the fifth with a fine shot from about 20 meters. The visitors got a consolation goal deep into stoppage time.

A much needed win for HIF and something to build on. I'm not sure if they have what it takes to go up but it's a very tight league so who knows. Maybe some reinforcements needed for the autumn. Tough times ahead for Sundsvall with a very unsteady defence and very few goals up front. Changes are needed if they are going to survive.

The home fans were very vocal and the atmosphere was good. Disappointing attendance but the trouble with summer football is that on a summer Sunday like this many people prefer to head for the beaches and parks. Also two days after the Midsummer celebrations (almost as big as Christmas here in Sweden) many people would be a bit tired.

More than football

Up till 1658 Helsingborg and the south of Sweden beolnged to Denmark and the narrow straight between here and Helsingør was closely guarded with fortifications on both sides to ensure that ships passing to and from the Baltic Sea paid their tolls. On the western side is the impressive Kronborg castle where Hamlet has his origins (Helsingør  = Shakespeare's Elsinore) and on the eatern shore was another castle of which only the tower remains. The view from this tower (Kärnan) over to Denmark is a compulsory tourist photo stop (below).

It's a good base for a holiday with two countries to explore and very frequent ferries over the channel. The mansion house, Sofiero castle, and its superb gardens are very popular and the city centre has many charming streets to wander around and shop in. I enjoyed my visit to the art gallery and city museum. Find out more at Visit Helsingborg. 

Nybro IF v Kalmar Södra, Swedish regional division 4

Nybro IF 2-0 Kalmar Södra IF
Swedish regional division 4, South-east Småland, tier 6
Thursday 18 June, 19:00 kick-off
Victoriavallen, Nybro
Crowd: about 130

Nybro is a town with just over 13,500 inhabitants founded about 150 years ago. It is famous for its two glassworks and wood products. As far as sport is concerned, ice hockey is king and Nybro Vikings are established in the second highest league in the country, this year going to the play-offs to the top league. The arena is usually well packed for home games and I go to maybe 4-5 games a season there. The hall is sold out for derby games against Kalmar HC and the rivalry is fierce though not violent. Until 1998 the ice hockey and football teams belonged to the same club, Nybro IF, but the hockey team had greater plans and broke away. Football is a mere sideshow round here these days and the ground, Victoriavallen, is right next to the ice-rink. 

Today's game is a Nybro-Kalmar derby but on a much lower level. Nybro IF were founded in 1906 and have played in the second tier of Swedish football several times, the last time being in 1971. Nybro IF are not even top dogs in the town anymore since neighbours Pukeberg are now in the regional division 3. After their win last week against Lindås-Långasjö (see previous post) Nybro are in 4th place in the table whilst today's visitors, Kalmar Södra, are in 7th place. You can read more about Kalmar Södra (= south) in a post here from 2023 but sadly they have since left their charming ground for a modern ground nearby.

The ground

The ground in its present form was built in the late 1950s and is one of the best old-school grounds in the region. The record crowd here is 9,176, against Kalmar FF (who else?) in 1955. The entrance side (south) has a main concrete stand, kiosk and some open terracing. The opposite side (north) has an uncovered wooden stand and a quaint old store building. The east end has a few steps of open terracing whilst the west end borders on the ice rink. I have once seen the ground well filled and that was an U17 match between Sweden and Denmark three years ago. Today's attendance is fairly normal these days but there must be potential for this club to climb higher, given the facilities and size of the town.

The match

Another very pleasant sunny summer's evening and perfect for watching and playing. Nybro deserved the win but there could have been many more goals at both ends if the teams had been sharper up front. As in Saturday's game, Nybro got off to a flying start with several good moves in the first 10 minutes. Then after 15 minutes The ball broke free in the box and Ville Karlsson was free near the penalty spot and fired home the opener. The lead was doubled after 35 minutes when a corner from the right was headed in by the Nybro captain Lukas Qvist. Kalmar had a couple of good chances to reduce the arrears but the hosts deserved their lead at the break.

Incredibly there were no further goals though both sides had plenty of excellent chances. Nybro in particular had a few situations when they chose to pass instead of shooting on goal and the same applied to Kalmar. But the defences held out and Kalmar couldn't reduce the deficit. As in Saturday's match the two home wing men, Hilowle and Ndayabahiki, showed some nice skill and created many chances whilst Eliassi was a workhorse in midfield. Right at the end Nybro forward Pedersen was sent off after collecting two yellow cards in quick succession for vociferously disputing a free kick.

Nybro move up to 3rd place and having seen them twice this week I think they should have a good chance of being in the promotion race in the autumn. If they could sharpen up their finishing in the box they could go all the way.

Lindås-Långasjö FF v Nybro IF, Swedish regional division 4

 

Lindås-Långasjö FF 1-2 Nybro IF
Swedish regional division 4 (South-east Småland), tier 6
Saturday 14 June 2026, 13:00 kick-off
Långasjö Idrottsplats, Långasjö
Crowd:110

I've decided to ignore the World Cup for a number of reasons (FIFA's blatant corruption and hypocrisy, Trump and his hideous regime, exploitation of fans etc) and instead focus on watching local football which goes on regardless. Today it's another trip into the forests of Småland to another charming village, Långsjö (population 332). The football club here meged a few years ago with neighbouring Lindås and that explains the double-barrelled club name. This is quite a common phenomenon here as many small clubs realise that they cannot survive unless they join forces. The deal is usually that the new team's home matches are shared between the two clubs' grounds and today it was the turn of Långasjö to host a game. It's a good way for small clubs to survive.

Lindås-Långasjö have had a tough start to the season and sit at the bottom of the league with 6 points whilst the visitors, Nybro, are in fourth place with 18 points. I plan to visit Nybro next week so I won't write much about them here apart from the fact that they are a team that would prefer to be a couple of levels higher in the pyramid given their history and the size of the town. 

For today's game the home team lined up in black and red whilst the visitors were in their usual red and white stripes.

The ground

A very tidy little ground surrounded by forest, as is so common round here. If you've read other posts in this blog you have probably got the idea by now. The entrance is on the west side with a pavillion including changing rooms, store room and even the local fire brigade/emergency services. There is a simple wooden stand and the substitute benches. At the north end there is a long wooden building with the kiosk and toilets. On the east side there are two simple uncovered wooden stands with room for maybe 20 people in each.

The official attendance came to 110 which is pretty common in the lower reaches of the pyramid and it often makes little difference if a club is in division 4 or division 6. Unusually they even had a match programme, or rather a team sheet, but at least you knew who was playing, often impossible at many games.

The match

An entertaining game with plenty of chances at both ends but Nybro just about deserved the win on the basis of their first half performance. The visitors started very positively and dominated most of the first half with skillful passing and very tricky wingers in Hilowie and Ndayabahika who were a constant threat to the home defence. They took the lead in the 11th minute after a corner from the left was shot home from close range by Lukas Quist. Two minutes later the lead was doubled after some neat passing and a blocked shot broke to Ndayabahika  on the edge of the box and he made no mistake with his shot. It looked as if Nybro would score more as they lined up several good chances but somehow the hosts survived and slowly clawed their way back into the game.

The second half saw the home team go up a gear or two and put Nybro under pressure for long periods. The visitors were dangerous on the breakaway and could have added to their lead but the home defence stood firm. Then after 59 minutes a long ball found tall striker Felix Hellström and he beat his marker and shot past the diving keeper to reduce the deficit. Things got increasingly tense as the match wore on and the hosts were frustratingly close to equalising on several occasions. But the Nybro defence held out and Nybro took the three points to keep them in the promotion race. Frustration of course for Lindås-Långasjö would remain at the bottom of the league but there were many positives to build on, especially from their second half performance. Sharpness in front of goal is what is lacking at the moment.

Next week I plan to see Nybro at home, one of the nicest lower league grounds round here.