Pukebergs BK v Ljungby IF, Swedish regional division 3

 

Pukebergs BK 0-1 Ljungby IF
Swedish regional division 3 (tier 5)
Friday 14 August 2026, 18:45 kick-off
Pukevallen, Nybro
Crowd: 105

This is my third visit to Pukeberg's ground on the outskirts of Nybro. Pukebergs BK from the southern suburb of Pukeberg has become the main football club in the town for now, with neighbours Nybro IF below them in local division 4 (see my report from Nybro's match back in June). 

Pukebergs Bollklubb was founded in 1930 and have established themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the region. Originally they were formed as a team for workers at the Pukeberg glassworks but grew quickly to represent tyhe whole area .They have now played several seasons in division 3, tier 5 of the Swedish league pyramid, and even reached the final play-off for a place in division 2 in 2019, falling at the final hinder. They have today teams for boys and girls of all ages plus senior teams for both men and women. At present they are in second place in the league with 30 points from 13 games.Pukeberg play in red and white. 

Ljungby IF were founded in 1914 and worked their way up the leagues to division 2 in the 1990s. In 1999 they played off against neighbours Östers IF (Växjö) for a place in the second tier but lost. Since then they have played either in division 2 or, as now, division 3. Their ground was completely rebuilt in 2016 but 6 years later someone set fire to the main stand and the fire destroyed most of the ground. With the help of other clubs in the area and local companies the ground has now been rebuilt. At present they lie in fourth spot on 25 points. Ljungby play in all-blue. 

The ground

Beautiful entrance to the ground

Pukevallen is surrounded by trees on the edge of a beautiful forest area which is used by hikers and cyclists in the summer and skiers in the winter. On a lovely warm evening like today it is an idyllic place to sit and watch some football. 

The main side of the ground features the clubhouse, kiosk and home dressing rooms complete with a patio with picnic tables. There is also a sizeable section of concrete terracing with a converted catering kiosk on top now used by the match speaker. Most spectators gather here. On the opposite side there are the dugouts, electronic scoreboard, the away dressing room and a shed probably for groundkeeping equipment. There is also a small wooden stand with space for maybe 30 spectators. They have no floodlights yet but maybe that is something to consider if they move up to division 2 next year. According to the club website all the building work on the ground has been carried out by volunteer members. The record crowd here was 1,028 against unsurprisingly rivals Nybro IF in 2019.

The game

I seem to have a bit of a jinx on the clubs I visit and this was no exception as Pukeberg lost a hard-fought match 0-1. Ljungby had the edge and probably deserved the points but the hosts could have salvaged a point with better finishing.

The first half was a midfield battle with plenty of strong challenges but very few clear chances for either side.After about 20 minutes Pukeberg's Gunnarsson came in from the left and passed to Nilsson in the box who fought off his marker but shot just past the post. Just before the break Albin Gunnarsson had another shot fly past the post but otherwise it was scoreless at the break.

The second half was livelier with more chances at either end but as the half progressed the visitors looked increasingly dangerous. In the 63rd minute Ljungby scored what proved to be the winner when a quickly taken free kick from just inside the home half found an unmarked Noah Ejneborn who volleyed home from the edge of the box. Pukeberg tried to force an equaliser but although they had a few chances the Ljungby defence was strong and the visitors were also strong on the counter attack. They had a nice balance between strong ball winners and nippy forwards and wingmen. Pukeberg had plenty of impressive players but that final touch in the box was missing this evening. Emilio Ixcot Nilsson, for example, put in a strong performance as a target man.

Not a goal feast this evening but an enjoyable match between two teams who should both be in the promotion hunt later in the autumn.

Kalmar Södra IF v IFK Borgholm, Swedish regional division 4

 

Kalmar Södra IF 1-5 IFK Borgholm
Swedish regional division 4 (south-east Småland), tier 6
Saturday 8 August 2026, 13:00 kick-off
Södra Utmarken, Kalmar
Crowd: 76

I haven't seen Kalmar Södra (Kalmar South) since they moved to a new ground a couple of years ago. I really liked their lovely old ground and you can see that in a post from 2023 when they played the same opponents as today, IFK Borgholm, from the neighbouring island of Öland. So it's a rematch for me but in very different surroundings in a modern functional ground..

Kalmar Södra were founded in 1945 and have played in the local and regional leagues for most of their history. They have a flourishing youth section with boys' and girls' teams of all ages and many of them have taken the step up tothe senior teams. They play in red and blue stripes with blue shorts. At present they are in the middle of the league with 16 points from 13 matches. 

The visitors today, IFK Borgholm, were founded back in 1906 and are the oldest and largest sport club on the island of Öland. They have also played their football in the lower tiers with division 3 being their highest achievement. They play in blue and white but today sported their all-white away kit. Before today's game they were also on 16 points after 13 games.

The ground

A new ground with excellent modern facilities and must feel like a big lift for the staff and players with modern changing rooms and club rooms. However for nostalgic old boys like me the old place, Skyttis, had buckets of old-school charm including a retro 1950s kiosk. Three sides of the ground are off-limits to spectators with a high fence close to the pitch. All the facilities are on one side with the impressive club buildings and kiosk plus an uncovered wooden stand where almost all the fans sit. Not so good if it rains but splendid today in the sunshine.

The dugouts are opposite the clubhouse and access is straight across the pitch. The pitch is grass, unusual in so many newly built grounds that tend to go for artificial all-weather pitches. There's a decent carpark and generous space for bikes.

The kiosk does the standard Swedish fare and as usual I decided to ask for a cup of tea (not on the menu). Once again the staff at smaller clubs show great resilience in the face of strange guys like me who incredibly don't like coffee! They searched the drawers and found a teabag, probably the only one they had. No kettle so they put a cup of water in the micro and I got my wish. Thanks!

The game

For the second time this week I witnessed an embarassing home defeat as Borgholm went away with a convincing 5-1 victory. Kalmar fought hard and had quite a few good chances in the match but the visitors were simply more clinical and had the game pretty well wrapped up by half time.

The first half got off to a dramatic start after 4 minutes when Anton Larsson broke free and slotted the ball past the onrushing home keeper to put the visitors into the lead. Kalmar almost equalised a minute later when Ottosson also broke free of a defender but this time the Borgholm keeper blocked the shot. In the 11th minute the visitors went two up when a pass from burly forward Fortune-West found an unmarked Emanuel Thorsen who fired home from close range. Things got even worse for the hosts a few minutes later when a cross found Fortune-West who slotted in 3-0. 

Kalmar were shaken and it was going to need a remarkable effort to turn this around. They got a ray of hope when a shot from Hammarström was parried by the keeper and John Engström was on hand to net the rebound. But the comeback was not to be and before the break Borgholm scored a fourth when a high ball into the box was headed in by Hultenius.

The second half lacked the intensity of the first and the visitors were content to let Kalmar dominate possession but the hosts failed to create serious chances. The deal was sealed already after 59 minutes with a second goal by Evan Fortune-West, heading home after a shot by Jörgensson was saved. Barring a shot off the bar Kalmar never really threatened and the away team and supporters went home very satisfied.

Blomstermåla IK v Bäckebo GoIF, Swedish regional division 5

 

Blomstermåla IK 1-6 Bäckebo GoIF
Swedish regional division 5 (Småland south-east), tier 7
Thursday 6 August, 19:00 kick-off
Blomstermåla Idrottsplats, Blomstermåla
Crowd: 75

Moving from the atmosphere and intensity of the Danish top league (see previous post on Brøndby) to the tranquility of a village in the south-east of Sweden is the sort of contrast I love.

Blomstermåla is a village north of Kalmar in south-east Sweden with about 2,000 inhabitants. It has been the home of furntiture factories and a sawmill and grew up thanks to the coming of the railway. The railway station is still in operation in contrast to most villages and towns round here. Its football club, Blomstermåla IK, were founded in 1928 and in the seventies had a short stay in the second tier of Swedish football but since then have played in the lower leagues and a couple of seasons ago were at the bottom of the local division 6 (the lowest league in this part of the country). However they have rebuilt and are now sitting comfortably in the middle of the local division 5. This is my second visit to this ground.

Today's visitors are from the village of Bäckebo, out in the forest to the west. They have had a couple of very succesful seasons and are now top of the league and undefeated after 13 matches - an impressive achievement for a village with a population of 230!

The league has only just resumed after the July break and the hosts will be anxious to recover some pride after losing 0-5 at home last Saturday. For Bäckebo this is their first game since the end of June.

The ground

This is a lovely ground that has echoes of more prosperous times. The west side features a clubhouse, kiosk and changing rooms plus a small section of terraced seating. The east side has a long section of wooden terracing with a nice club badge in the middle. In the south-east corner there is a beautiful old entrance gate which is no longer used but also recalls more successful times. There is a wooden fence around the pitch but no floodlights.

Beautiful iron gates

The game

This was not a good evening for the home side as Bäckebo ran away with a tennis score win. It could easily have gone into double figures as the visitors missed plenty of clear chances. But they keep their unbeaten record and look set for promotion.

The visitors pressed from the kick-off and went one up after only 8 minutes with a fine shot from the edge of the box from midfielder Herman Hallberg. Four minutes later the visitors doubled their lead from a penalty kick from Douglas Bjerkland. I must admit I couldn't see what the penalty was for since I was at the other end of the ground. Bäckebo had several more clear chances after that but couldn't hit the target. Slowly Blomstermåla began to find their feet and made a few chances of their own and in the 19th minute they pulled a goal back. Jakol on the left passed into the box and in a goalmouth scramble William Axelsson poked the ball past the keeper and along the goal line, maybe over it. The referee awarded a goal though in higher levels it would have gone to VAR. Just when I thought we might have a contest on our hands Bäckebo stepped up a gear again and extended their lead just before half time with a lovely curving free kick from the left of the box by Herman Hallberg, probably my man of the match.

Blomstermåla's goal as the ball heads over the line, just.

After the break it really was one-way traffic and the visitors galloped away with an emphatic victory. The fourth goal came after 71 minutes when the ball was teed up in the penalty box for Simon Hammenstrand to fire home and he got a second goal two minutes from time after he beat the keeper to a through ball and poked it into the net. Then in added time we even got a sixth goal with a header from Edvin Gottfredsson.

That's two heavy defeats in a week for Blomstermåla and they will need to shore up the defence to keep their mid-table position. Bäckebo looked strong and had several skilful players. They look like a side who will be in the title hunt in the autumn.

Brøndby IF v Viborg FF, Danish Superliga

 

Brøndby IF 1-0 Viborg FF
Danish Superliga
Sunday 2 August 2026, 16:00 kick-off
Brøndby Stadium, Copenhagen
Crowd: 23, 842

I have been a Brøndby fan for many years but this is the first game I've recorded on this blog. I try to go to a couple of games a season and was looking forward to seeing if this could be a good year for Brøndby. They've lost quite a few players and signed some promising replacements and today the ground was filled with expectant fans.

Last season was disappointing and they missed out on a european spot but the season was spoilt even further by further disgraceful behaviour by a hooligan element especially after the last derby against FC Copenhagen. There have been many clashes between hooligans from both clubs over the years, though I personally have not seen anything at the matches I have attended. I noticed today that the southside ultras have now been moved to the top corner of the north end whilst the south end was closed on the top tier but a peaceful sea of yellow on the lower tier. No fireworks at all today and I hope it stays that way.

Back to the football though. Brøndby, founded in 1964, have been a major force in Denmark since the 1980s when they rose to the top with stars like Michael and Brian Laudrup, Peter Schmeichel, John Faxe Jensen, Lars Olsen and Kim Vilfort. They have won the championship 11 times, the latest in 2020-21 and have had seven cup victories and European campaigns. They reached the semi-finals of the old UEFA Cup in 1991 and the quarter finals of the European Cup (now Champions League) in 1998. They are a big club with a big following - they generally fill the ground and quite often you have to be very quick to get match tickets as soon as they are released. But having big-money backers and a big set-up doesn't guarantee success and they have had many lean years and rivals FC Copenhagen have taken over as the biggest club in the country. Even there big hasn't always meant best and in recent years the league title has gone to provincial clubs like AGF and FC Midtjylland. This is an open league and the Copenhagen giants have to fight hard to win.

Today's visitors from the historic Jutland city of Viborg were founded in 1896. They have never been Danish champions but since the 1990s they have spent many seasons in the top league mixed with sojourns in division 1. Today they are a solid mid-table team and can be tough opponents. I saw them win here about a year ago for example so everyone knew this would not be an easy game for Brøndby.

The ground

A modern two-tier all-round stadium built in 1965 but completely redeveloped to its present state in 2000 with a present capacity of 28,000. It is the second biggest ground in the country and the record crowd here is 31,508 against FC Copenhagen (who else?) in 2003.

Fans arrive very early for the games because outside the ground there are many catering vans, games, bars and so on, a bit like there is at Lyngby, see my previous post, but bigger. The advantage of that is that there is a wide choice of food on offer, not just sausages and popcorn (though there are plenty of those). I had a delicious falafel roll with sallad and hot sauce. The catering inside the ground however is the regulation fare as described in so many previous posts here. More variety please! Need I add that they sell an awful lot of beer?

I was on the third highest row in the ground and it's quite a climb to get up there. Older or infirm fans are advised to get seats lower down as the steps are daunting. The inside looks great and the whole ground is a sea of yellow shirts with a high noise level. As I mentioned earlier the ultras have been exiled from the south end and maybe these measures will calm things down in future. 

The game

TV pundits in action

There were big sighs of relief at the end from the home fans as Brøndby took three points from a game that they could very easily have lost. The hosts had most of the possession but lacked that final touch in the box whereas Viborg counter-attacked with precision and had several golden chances that any other day would have resulted in goals. Brøndby's forwards didn't seem to have found that instinctive understanding that is needed at the top level and many final passes went astray or were intercepted. But they scored and that goal was enough and indeed that's the sort of luck you need to give the team confidence. 

Brøndby started well passing the ball around the park but not really challenging the defence. At the other end Viborg's two strong forwards Charly Nouck and Dorian Junior were much more direct and created several red-hot chances in the first half hitting the post, forcing good saves from Brøndby's Austrian international keeper Patrick Pentz or narrowly missing the target. The hosts had a couple of shots on target but Viborg were definitely the better side at the break and the question was whether they could turn that advantage into goals in the second.

The second half saw the home team step up a gear and put more pressure on the Viborg defence. Polish midfielder and my man of the match Bartosz Slisz shot from outside the box and the ball was deflected onto the post. Slisz worked hard all game and did the hard graft winning back the ball and pushing forward. At the other end the Viborg counter-attacks were always dangerous and once again Nouck and Dorian Junior were unlucky not to score. I'm sure they will get their reward in future matches.

Then at last in the 80th minute we finally saw a goal and it came from two Brøndby substitutes. Sho Fukuda crossed the ball from the right and debutant Olti Hyseni sent a looping header into the net. The ground exploded with joy and relief. Brøndby held on in the final minutes and took the three points. They now have four points from their first two games but still have some work to do before they can challenge at the top of the league - sharper play up front is needed above all.

It was a tense game but I always enjoy the big match atmosphere now and again in between my usual quieter football experiences.

Watch video highlights on YouTube.

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.