Lennart's last name was Johansson. The trophy bears the name of the former association boss and will be lifted by this year's Swedish champions late this fall. None of the clubs came close to challenging Mjällby last season. This year, the goals are set higher.
The top match of the Allsvenskan was already full of intensity and heated duels in the third round. In the end, Malmö beat a better Djurgården side with the only goal of the match, Sead Haksabanovic's in the 61st minute.
The national team coach Graham Potter and his assistant Sebastian Larsson paid a visit to 3 Arena on Friday evening. Potter will select the World Cup squad in just under a month. The question is how many Allsvenskan players will be included. Malmö FF's Taha Ali was in the squad for the playoff matches against Ukraine and Poland.
Olsen giant in goal
Perhaps national team veteran Robin Olsen could be in the mix again depending on how things look on the goalkeeping front towards the end of May. Olsen had a lot to do - and performed excellently despite an injury late on. He saved MFF early on when he stopped Patric Åslund's close-range shot.
Creative Ali had a dribbling spree inside the penalty area that came to nothing. Ali grabbed his groin, limped slightly after half an hour, but continued.
"It's okay," he told TV4.
At the same time, Oskar Fallenius needed treatment. He was immediately replaced by Jeppe Okkels in a Djurgården side that was leading the game.
Mistakes often decide matches. Djurgården lost track of Haksabanovic from Otto Rosengren's corner. Leading with half an hour left, defensively strong MFF closed the shop.
Deep into extra time, MFF captain Pontus Jansson was carried out on a stretcher with a bandaged knee.
Powerful free kick
At Stora Valla in Degerfors, Ludvig Fritzson hit the post with a tricky shot that went between the legs of Elfsborg's Thomas Isherwood.
"It's a battle of positions. It would have been good to come into the locker room with 1-0," Fritzson told TV4 during the break.
Setback for Elfsborg: Arber Zeneli suffered a thigh injury and was substituted before the break.
Simon Olsson was brought down just outside the penalty area and with a powerful free kick, Julius Magnusson sent in his second goal of the season and Elfsborg's winning goal.
Fritzson was extremely close to 1–1, but Isak Pettersson saved the header with his face.
