Seeking to pick up their first league win of the season, Varbergs BoIS take a trip to the Tele2 Arena to face Djurgarden IF in round 13 of the Allsvenskan on Sunday.
The Jarnkaminerna have secured six wins and one draw in their seven home matches this season and will head into the weekend looking to extend this impressive home form.
Match preview
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Djurgarden maintained their fine run of results as they picked up a 1-0 victory over Haken when the sides squared off in a friendly fixture at the Bravida Arena last Monday.
Following a goalless first half, Norwegian forward Oliver Berg came up clutch for the visitors as he scored the only goal of the game on the hour mark to end the Getingarna's three-game winning streak.
Kim Bergstrand's men now return to the Allsvenskan, where they are currently on a run of five straight games without defeat, claiming three wins and two draws since May's 4-3 loss against Hammarby.
Djurgarden were last in action in the league on June 11, when they overturned a two-goal deficit to salvage a 2-2 draw with Norrkoping courtesy of a first-half own goal from Andri Gudjohnsen and Marcus Danielson's 48th-minute strike.
After kicking off the season with just three wins in their opening eight matches, this upturn in form has seen the Jarnkaminerna rise to fifth in the Allsvenskan table, level on 21 points with fourth-placed Kalmar.
Varbergs BoIS, on the other hand, were left empty handed once again as they suffered a 6-1 hammering at the hands of Elfsborg in last Thursday's friendly matchup.
This was in keeping with their struggles in the league, where they are yet to taste victory this season, claiming five draws and losing seven, including a 2-1 defeat against Halmstads in June 10.
Varbergs' poor start to the season has been owing to their struggles at both ends of the pitch as they have scored the fewest number of goals so far (8) and currently hold the division's second-worst defensive record, having shipped 24 goals already.
With five points from a possible 36, Joakim Persson's men are currently rooted to the bottom of the league standings but could move into 14th place with all three points this weekend.
While Varbergs will be looking to pick up their first win of the season and get their campaign up and running, next up is a Djurgarden side who are unbeaten in five of their last six meetings, claiming four wins and one draw since August 2020.
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Team News
Veteran defender Elliot Kack has been out of action since picking up a knee injury in February's friendly against Varnamo and will play no part for Djurgarden.
With his winner against Hacken last time out, Berg now has five goal involvements across all competitions this season and should lead the hosts' attack once again.
Varbergs will be without 22-year-old midfielder Ismet Lushaku, who will serve a one-game suspension after crossing the yellow card threshold with his booking against Deferfors on May 29.
On the injury front, Persson will be unable to call upon Oliver Alfonsi and Jon Birkfeldt, who are currently recuperating from knee and ligament injuries respectively.
The defensive duo of Gideon Mensah and Anton Liljenback have not featured for Varbergs this year through knee injuries and are out of contention for this weekend's clash.
Djurgardens IF possible starting lineup:
Zetterstrom; Johansson, Lofgren, Danielson, Andersson; Bergvall, Schuller, Eriksson; Radetinac, Berg, Wikheim
Varbergs BoIS possible starting lineup:
Lukic; Silverholt, Lindner, Zackrisson, Nogueira; Ouatki, Tranberg, Karlsson; Junior, Ronnberg, Dahlstrom
We say: Djurgardens IF 2-0 Varbergs BoIS
Djurgarden will be licking their lips as they take on a Varbergs side who have endured a horrid start to the season. Bergstrand's side have been near impenetrable at home and we are backing them to ease to a comfortable victory this weekend.
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