Djurgården have overtaken Hammarby and are now second, ten points behind league leaders Sirius with seven games left to play.
What a victory. Not a pretty one, but we’re so damn dangerous on the counterattack, midfielder Daniel Stensson told TV4.
We drop a little deep sometimes, but a fucking “together” was the watchword today, and I think we gave it everything.
“Ten out of ten”
Hammarby had most of the ball in the first half at a rain-soaked and decidedly autumnal 3Arena in Stockholm. But Djurgården had the better chances.
Just before half-time, Djurgården launched a counterattack of the kind Daniel Stensson described.
Jeppe Okkels made his way down the left wing and played the ball to Kristian Lien, who tapped it straight to Bo Hegland. Hegland expertly slotted it home for 1–0.
It’s ten out of ten, Hegland told TV4 at half-time.
Gold rush?
Veteran and team captain Nahir Besara made his first start for Hammarby since July and had a great chance in the first half, but Djurgården goalkeeper Jacob Rinne made the save.
“Especially in the first half, I think we were much better than them. They barely had three or four passes in a row, but still managed to make it 1–0,” 35-year-old Besara - who may have played his last derby - told TV4, sounding disappointed.
Hammarby remain on 43 points, one point behind Djurgården and eleven behind Sirius, in third place.
However, it is worth noting that Sirius had an eight-point lead before this round - and now it is ten. It remains to be seen whether the Uppsala side can go all the way and win the title.
- Sirius, 54 points, 23 games
Remaining matches: Elfsborg (home 18/10), AIK (home 24/10), Hammarby (away 29/10), Halmstad (home 3/11), Kalmar (away 8/11), Djurgården (home 22/11), IFK Göteborg (away 29/11).
- Djurgården, 44 points, 23 games
Remaining matches: BP (away 16/10), Örgryte (home 24/10), IFK Göteborg (away 28/10), Degerfors (home 1/11), Halmstad (away 8/11), Sirius (away 22/11), Häcken (home 29/11).
- Hammarby, 43 points, 23 games
Remaining matches: Halmstad (away 18/10), Mjällby (away 25/10), Sirius (home 29/10), Malmö FF (away 1/11), Elfsborg (home 6/11), IFK Göteborg (home 23/11), Västerås (away 29/11).
