240919 Elfsborg’s Niklas Hult during the football match in the Allsvenskan between Elfsborg and IFK Norrköping on September 19, 2024 in Borås. Photo: Jörgen Jarnberger / BILDBYRÅN / COP 112 / JJ0399 Published: 2024-09-19 21:26, Updated 2024-09-19 22:14
It was eventful and swung both ways when IF Elfsborg played 2-2 against IFK Norrköping at Borås Arena. An early red card for Buhari Ibrahim saw the yellow and black play with ten men for more than 70 minutes.
The match started in a nice way for IF Elfsborg. They immediately took hold of the match picture and it was the team that went forward. Gulsvart got to the penalty area and created a couple of corners during the opening.
The lead goal would also come early. But not on a corner but after an attack from the right. Simon Hedlund played the ball in from his right and Arber Zeneli clipped the ball on to Michael Baidoo who pushed in the lead with a low shot. 1-0 to IF Elfsborg in the twelfth minute of the match!
Just five minutes later, yellow and black were sent off. Buhari Ibrahim tackled as the last man and had to see the red card in minute 17. Game with one less man for IF Elfsborg, then.
As a result of the expulsion, it was increasingly the guests who were in command out on the field. Elfsborg defended deep and in a compact and careful manner. They prevented the guests from creating the really sharp scoring chances.
After half an hour played, Di Gule had a better ten-minute period where they could hold the ball more and attack more than the visitors. On a couple of occasions, they were close to getting it right, but the away team was right in their own penalty area.
IFK Norrköping took over again in the final minutes, but yellow and black defended well and went into the break in the lead.
Second half
The visitors from Norrköping put full speed forward after the break and stayed in the offensive half of the field during the opening. Ten minutes into the half, they also scored an equalizing ball after a pass from the right in the penalty area and finish via Elfsborgsben and into the net. 1-1 in the 55th minute.
In the 63rd minute, 1-2 also came from the guests. IFK Norrköping converted quickly with a long kick-out, Isak Pettersson got a bit of an intermediary and the away player was able to lob in the lead goal from long range.
At a disadvantage, it was then IF Elfsborg who took command again. They put in new energy in the form of Per Frick and Johan Larsson and showed the audience straight away that they wanted to get back in terms of results.
The receipt would come. In the 73rd minute, Timothy Ouma pushed off a hard shot. It took a touch on an away defender and then went into the goal via the crossbar. 2-2!
In the period after the goal, it was then yellow and black that continued to push forward. It was close on several occasions, but when the finish did come, the visitors’ defender or goalkeeper was there to block.
The visitors came close to going through with a couple of minutes left in the game, but good defensive play from Gustav Henriksson at one point, and a solid save from Isak Pettersson prevented the visitors from finding the net a third time.
During the four-minute extra time, it was IF Elfsborg who pressed forward and looked for a decisive situation. But there were no more goals. The match ended 2-2.
IF Elfsborg – IFK Norrköping 2-2 (1-0)
1-0 Michael Baidoo (12′), 1-1 Carl Björk (55′), 1-2 David Moberg Karlsson (63′), 2-2 Timothy Ouma (73′).
Starting lineup: Isak Pettersson – Sebastian Holmén, Buhari Ibrahim, Terry Yegbe (68’) – Simon Hedlund, Timothy Ouma, Besfort Zeneli, Niklas Hult – Arber Zeneli (21’), Michael Baidoo (68’), Ahmed Qasim.
Substitute: Marcus Bundgaard, Rami Kaib, Johan Larsson (68′), Gustav Henriksson (21′), Andri Baldursson, Eggert Gudmundsson, Per Frick (68′), Emil Holten, Gottfrid Rapp.
