Two sides battling relegation in the Swedish Allsvenskan will go head-to-head on Sunday afternoon when IFK Goteborg host Vasteras SK at Gamla Ullevi.
The home team sits one place above the relegation zone, while the visitors find themselves firmly in it, just above one other team.
Match preview
![IFK Göteborgs coach Stefan Billborn before the football match in Allsvenskan between Värnamo and IFK Göteborg on July 7, 2024 in Värnamo [IMAGO]](https://sm.imgix.net/24/29/stefan-billborn.jpg?w=640&h=480&auto=compress,format&fit=clip "IFK Göteborgs coach Stefan Billborn before the football match in Allsvenskan between Värnamo and IFK Göteborg on July 7, 2024 in Värnamo [IMAGO]")
© Imago
Goteborg narrowly avoided the drop last season, finishing just a point clear of the bottom three, and they face a similar scenario this year, sitting four points clear of the drop zone.
Stefan Billborn's men are currently 13th in the Allsvenskan, having picked up 17 points from their 14 matches played, level on points with 12th-placed Varnamo, who are only ahead on goal difference.
Consistency has been Goteborg's biggest issue this season, and this is evident from their last five results, which have seen them alternate between defeats and victories.
After losing to Varnamo following the league's resumption from a month-long break, Goteborg bounced back with a crucial 1-0 away win over Hammarby last time out.
The home side have not managed to win two consecutive matches since the start of the campaign, but they will be confident against Sunday's opponents, having won all three of their previous meetings against them.
Vasteras are enduring a tough return to the top flight after earning promotion last year for the first time since 1997, managing just three wins in their 14 matches played so far.
However, there are signs of improvement, as two of those wins have come in their last three matches, having only recorded one win in their opening 11 games.
A 4-0 victory over Kalmar was followed by a 2-1 defeat to Hacken, which left them bottom of the table, but a 2-1 win over fellow strugglers Norrkoping last time out helped Kalle Karlsson's men leave the bottom spot.
The Green and Whites have the worst away record in the division, with just four points from six away matches, and this is despite conceding the joint-second-fewest goals on the road - though they have also scored the least amount of away goals, which has been their main problem.
Team News
Goteborg are dealing with injuries to Mattias Johansson, Oscar Wendt and Suleiman Abdullahi, who are all expected to be sidelined until later this month.
Paulos Abraham is the man to watch, as he scored the winner against Hammarby, making it five league goals for the forward - the most by any player in his team.
Vasteras will be missing only one player due to injury, with Simon Gefvert unavailable for selection due to an ACL problem.
Matteo Ahlinvi (three goals), Viktor Granath and Abdelrahman Boudah (two goals each) have accounted for seven of the visitors 11 goals in the league, and the trio is expected to start in attack again.
IFK Goteborg possible starting lineup:
Bishesari; Ohlsson, Svensson, Hausner, Trondsen; Kaahed, Thordarson, Mucolli; Abraham, Skjellerup, Santos
Vasteras SK possible starting lineup:
Fagerstrom; Magnusson, Nsabiyumva, Marques; Bouzaiene, Ask, Linday, Warneryd; Ahlinvi, Granath, Boudah
We say: IFK Goteborg 1-0 Vasteras SK
Goteborg have found a way to win, which has helped them claim victory in their most recent games and in their last two home games.
This makes them slight favourites against Vasteras, the league's worst team on the road, despite their impressive record of conceding few goals away from home.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Joshua Cole
