The second half of the 2024 Swedish Allsvenskan season will get underway at the Iver Arena, where Vasteras SK will be playing host to AIK Fotboll on Saturday afternoon.
The hosts will enter this contest bottom of the league standings with just 12 points earned after 16 games, while the visitors are in 11th place with 20 points over the same period.
Match preview
Vasteras' return to the top flight has been something of a nightmare so far as they enter the second half of the season rock bottom and already four points behind Norrkoping, who are the first side above the dotted line.
While they beat GAIS by six points to claim the Superettan title last term, the Green and Whites have been nowhere close to the Mackerels this term, with the Goteborg-based outfit currently one point below the top three.
Kalle Karlsson, who led the side back to the top flight after a 17-year hiatus, will undoubtedly be feeling the pressure now, with his side managing only three wins so far this season, while their last match ended in a 4-0 defeat to Hacken last week.
That result marked the ninth time that Gronvitt have failed to find the net in the league this season, and their 12-goal tally to date is the current worst return of any side in the division by a significant margin.
In eight home games this season, Vasteras have earned just seven points, although they did win their last match at this venue, beating Snoka Kamraterna 2-1 on July 14, which brought an end to a four-match winless run dating back to the end of May.
Meanwhile, after shooting out the blocks with 11 points in their first five matches this season, AIK seem to have hit a wall lately, now firmly set in the bottom half and just two points above the drop.
Gnaget went down 1-0 to GAIS at home last weekend, marking their fourth loss in the last five games either side of the international break, and it was also the second match on the bounce that they failed to trouble the scoreline.
Owing to their downturn in form, AIK opted to part ways with Henning Berg directly after the international break, with Mikkjal Thomassen replacing him on July 17, though the new boss has now lost his first two matches at the helm and will be desperate to change that this weekend.
However, getting a result here will not be a straightforward task for Thomassen, as his new side have only earned five points on the road this season (W1 D2 L5), which is the worst record of any side in the top flight.
Team News
Vasteras are set to be without the services of Minnesota United loanee Mikael Marques, who has now been ruled out for the remainder of the season due to a broken bone in his foot.
Simon Johansson is also suffering from a foot injury, though he is expected to return to action by the end of the month, while Simon Gefvert is sidelined for the foreseeable future with a cruciate ligament tear.
AIK, meanwhile, will have to make do without Alexander Milosevic, who crossed the yellow card threshold last week and will be forced to sit this match out due to suspension.
In terms of injuries, midfielders Aaron Stoch Rydell and Abdihakin Ali are out for the next two weeks, while Alexander Fesshaie and Martin Ellingsen are both expected to remain sidelined until next month.
Vasteras SK possible starting lineup:
Fagerstrom; G Granath; Jonsson, Magnusson; Warneryd, Ask, Linday, Larsson; Boudah, V Granath, Ahlinvi
AIK Fotboll possible starting lineup:
Nordfeldt; Thychosen, Papagiannopoulos, Hansen, Edh; Modesto, Dabo, Saletros, Celina; Besirovic, Pittas
We say: Vasteras SK 1-1 AIK Fotboll
Given both these sides' records of late, it is difficult to make a case for either to go on to win this match. This looks like it could be a bit of a slow-burner and we feel there will be nothing to separate them at the final whistle.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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