Halmstad defeat Orgryte in Allsvenskan relegation battle as Kalmar climb

Halmstad 2-0 Orgryte

Disruption from the crowd caused Orgryte's last game against Goteborg to end 24 hours later than scheduled. This hampered their preparations for the meeting with Halmstad, and conceding a late goal in the derby did little to lift spirits.

Halmstad, in contrast, had displayed signs of progress, having drawn at high-flying Elfsborg in their previous outing to halt a three-match losing streak.

It appeared that the home side had no better opportunity to secure their first victory of the campaign, and they took it. On 32 minutes, a low cross from Ludvig Arvidsson was only partially cleared to Rocco Ascone, who struck it sweetly on the half-volley, sending it past the goalkeeper.

Within ten minutes of the restart, teenager Arvidsson completed a memorable afternoon by collecting a through ball from Hussein Carneil, shrugging off his marker and nudging the ball in off the post.

Orgryte produced a few attempts at goal in response, but they could not break through, and Halmstad claimed their first win at the ninth time of asking. This moved them into 14th place, above Goteborg on goal difference, while Orgryte's fourth consecutive defeat sees them drop below HBK to the bottom of the table.

Kalmar 2-1 Degerfors

Whereas Orgryte are languishing, Kalmar are the strongest of the three newly promoted teams, having reached 10 points after a home win over Degerfors. Degerfors are now a point adrift and have gone five matches without a victory.

The decisive moment arrived two minutes before the break, when Arsenal loanee Charles Sagoe Junior ran onto a through ball down the left flank and cut it back across the box. It seemed to have eluded everyone, but then Rony Jansson stretched to reach it and prodded it bouncing into the bottom corner.

If that goal was scruffy, then Charlie Rosenqvist's was anything but, when he doubled the lead with a quarter of the match remaining. A searching cross from Jansson was met with a cushioned volley from the teenager that left the goalkeeper with no chance.

Kalmar rise to ninth, ahead of Malmo on goal difference, while Degerfors are 12th and could fall into the relegation zone if other results in this round go against them.