HK Malmö and Ystads IF HF played out a 38-38 draw in the Swedish Cup on Thursday evening. The match brought together two of Skåne's top handball sides, both of whom had been unbeaten in the league component of the competition.
It was a rematch of sorts. The two clubs had met just six days earlier on 5 September, when Ystads pulled off a 34-31 victory over the hosts. This time round, Malmö's home advantage proved insufficient to turn the tie.
Both teams carried their winning momentum into this fixture. Ystads had won their previous two league games against Drott, while Malmö had taken all three points from their two matches against Karra. The high-scoring nature of the encounter reflected that attacking intent on both sides.
Before kickoff, Malmö sat second with four points from three games, having won twice and drawn once. Ystads occupied the same position on two points, with one victory and two draws to their name. Neither side had suffered a defeat in the competition thus far.
The draw leaves Malmö with five points and Ystads with three after this round. The result keeps both clubs in contention at the top of the standings, though Malmö now holds a narrow advantage in the table.