Elfsborg beat Degerfors 2-0 in the Allsvenskan regular season match on Saturday evening at Boras Arena. The hosts took control early with a first-half goal and sealed the result late on to move a point further clear in third place. Degerfors, sitting fourteenth, failed to create anything meaningful after their opening exchanges.
L. Ostman opened the scoring in the thirteenth minute, finishing from what looked to be a well-worked move into the penalty area. Elfsborg kept their heads after taking the lead and controlled the tempo for the next twenty minutes. Degerfors tried to respond but found no answer to the pressure in midfield.
The second goal came much later, when A. Sigurpalsson found the net in the eighty-seventh minute. By then Degerfors were already pushing for a consolation but had little left in the tank. The visitors had been outplayed for large stretches and could only watch Elfsborg see out the game.
S. Diatara received a yellow card in the twenty-ninth minute before being substituted in the fifty-ninth. Robin Dzabic went off the side in the eighty-first after picking up his booking. Elfsborg made four changes in the eighty-second minute, bringing on M. Kamara, L. Ostman, A. Faqa and D. Vukojevic in quick succession.
Elfsborg dominated the numbers with 60 per cent possession and 138 attacks compared to Degerfors' 83. They registered five shots on target at 38 per cent accuracy while the visitors managed just one attempt on goal. The hosts created two big chances but only converted one of them in the first half.
The win moves Elfsborg to 34 points from 20 games, keeping them in touch with the top half. Degerfors remain on 16 points from 20 matches and four points above the relegation zone. The result extends Elfsborg's unbeaten run to five matches and ends a difficult period for the visitors.