Johannesburg: Djurgarden claimed a narrow victory over Kalmar at Guldfågeln Arena on Sunday, winning 1-0 in the Allsvenskan's regular season round 20. The result keeps the visitors third in the table while Kalmar remain 13th after another disappointing night.
Bo Åsulv Hegland broke the deadlock in the 65th minute, his shot finding the back of the net after a period of cautious exchanges. By then the visitors had been the more composed side, though neither team created much of note until that moment. Kalmar had their chances but couldn't convert, while Djurgarden made do with what they were given.
The home side showed frustration in patches, with Abdussalam Magashy and Toni Koskela picking up yellow cards. Djurgarden's visitors also collected three yellows between Christos Almyras, Hegland and Max Larsson. Two substitutions came on the half-hour mark as Kristian Stromland Lien and Patric Aslund arrived for the away side.
The statistics tell a story of missed opportunities on both sides. Kalmar registered just one shot on target from 10 attempts, while Djurgarden managed two from three. The visitors created no big chances despite having more possession, and Kalmar's two big chances went unrealised. It was a match decided by a single moment rather than sustained pressure.
The draw brought them together early in the season, but this result widens the gap between them. Djurgarden sit 16 points clear of Kalmar after 19 games, with the visitors having won 11 compared to the home side's five. Kalmar have not won since their 7-0 thrashing of Engelholm on August 19th, while Djurgarden have won their last three.
