Lessebo GoIF v Värnamo Södra FF, Swedish regional division 4

 

Lessebo GoIF 3-1 Värnamo Södra FF
Swedish regional division 4, tier 6
Sunday 5 September, 13:00 kick-off
Lessebo Idrottsplats, Lessebo
Crowd: Officially 45 but I counted about 70 plus two dogs (one large and one small)

From the tifos, passion and intensity of last weekend's matches I return to a quieter setting deep in the forests of Småland and a first visit to Lessebo GoIF. I know the place and area very well having hiked a lot round here but have not seen a match here, until now! Lessebo is a small town built around a paper mill and for many years was instantly recognisable by the distinct smell coming from the aforementioned industry. No smell these days but the paper mill is still the hub of the town. The population today is just under 3,000.

Lessebo GoIF was founded in 1925 and play in yellow and black. Back in the thirties they played a couple of seasons in the second tier of Swedish football but since then they have played in the lower tiers.

Värnamo Södra were founded in 1949 and have lived in the shadow of the town's main club IFK Värnamo who were relegated last season from the Allsvenskan (see previous post about Landskrona v IFK Värnamo, June 2026). They have played a few derbies in the lower leagues over the years. They play in all-red but today were in their white away kit.

Lessebo are in the relegation play-off place with 15 points from 17 matches and only two points from their last five matches. Värnamo Södra are mid-table with 19 points with a couple of convincing wins behind them but are still a long way behind the promotion places.

The ground

This is a lovely old ground and the focal point is a fine wooden stand that I suspect was built in the 1950s. The entrance gate is also a throwback from grander days with two old iron turnstiles still in place but unused in these days of mobile payments. The good people of Lessebo did not turn up in numbers today which is sad considering that it was a fine early autumn afternoon for football.

At the entrance end (north) there is a kiosk selling the usual selection and a guy was busy grilling sausages and burgers to order just beside the kiosk. There's also the electronic scoreboard and today there was even a gazebo tent for the local social-democratic party to engage in canvasing for the general election next week.The east side is crowned by the vintage stand nicely painted in club colours and housing the changing rooms. The west side has the fine wooden yellow and white team benches and space for people to stand. The south end has a high fence to catch wild shots and behind that is a fairly new artificial pitch used no doubt for training and early season matches when the grass pitch is unplayable. There's an old green metal fence around the field but no floodlights.

The game

Lessebo got three much needed points in a close match that was entertaining all the way. I sat in the stand most of the time but it was almost empty except for about 20 lads who sat at the back and cheered their mates in the team when they did something good. 

Värnamo looked good at the start and a hard shot from Lindberg was well saved by home keeper Christoffer Ahl who had a good game. Then after only 8 minutes the hosts took the lead when a fine shot from the edge of the box by Rasmus Holmström flew into the net. There was action at both ends with the visitors coming close again with a shot from Oliver Issal scraping the bar and just before the break the home defence had two extremely narrow escapes. First Kerim Musa shot from close in and the ball hit the post and rolled along the line before being cleared by a defender. Then a minute later Paukovic missed from close range and so the teams went in at the break with the hosts leading 1-0.

Värnamo Södra pressed for an equaliser directly after the break and got their reward when Jesper Claesson headed home a corner from the right. But the lead didn't last long. Lessebo got a free kick to the left of the box and defender Rasmus Dahlman blasted the ball into the far corner of the goal. A lovely goal and I managed to get a photo of it too. Dahlman played a good game otherwise and looked solid in defence.

2-1 to Lessebo

The game flowed from end to end after that and there was always a threat that the guests would get another equaliser but the deal was sealed four minutes from time when Khuluf broke free on the right and passed into the centre of the box where Mio Vuckovic slotted home Lessebo's third. Värnamo tried to push at the end but with no result and right at the end Kerim Musa got his marching orders, I think for dissent and maybe something else.

Relief for Lessebo and this gives them a bit of breathing space at the bottom. A good afternoon for me and another ground to put on my map.