Preview: IFK Norrkoping vs. Halmstads BK - prediction, team news, lineups

The visitors, who are sixth in the table, will enter the match off the back of a goalless draw with IFK Goteborg, while Norrkoping played out a 2-2 draw with Hacken in their last game.

Match preview

Norrkoping boast a record of five wins, four draws and four defeats from their 13 league matches this season, which has seen them collect 19 points to occupy seventh position in the table.

IFK have not actually been victorious in the Allsvenskan since the middle of May, picking up just two points from their last five matches, drawing their last two against Djurgardens IF and Hacken.

Norrkoping are 13-time Swedish champions, with their last success coming in 2015, while they were runners-up in 2018, but a disappointing 2022 campaign saw them finish in 12th position.

Glen Riddersholm's side have struggled for consistency at home this season, winning two, drawing two and losing two of their six matches to collect eight points, and they will be taking on a Halmstads outfit that have won three and lost three of their six league games on their travels.

Halmstad will enter this match in impressive form, having gone unbeaten in their last five matches at this level of football, recording three wins in the process.

HBK recorded a 2-1 win over Varberg in their last away match on June 10 before playing out a goalless draw with IFK Goteborg last time out, which moved them onto 20 points in the table.

Magnus Haglund's side secured a return to the top flight from the second tier last season, and they have made a productive start to the campaign, sitting sixth in the table.

Halmstad are nine points off the European positions in the division, while they are 14 behind the leaders Malmo, who have won 11, drawn one and lost one of their 13 matches this term.

The Halland-Based outfit are actually four-time Swedish champions, with their last success coming in 2000, while they were runners-up in the top flight in 2004.

IFK Norrkoping Swedish Allsvenskan form:

W

L

L

L

D

D

Halmstads BK Swedish Allsvenskan form:

L

W

W

D

W

D

Team News

Jean Carlos de Brito will again be missing for Norrkoping due to a long-term knee injury, while Jacob Ortmark is suspended following the booking that he picked up against Hacken last time out.

There is also a huge doubt over the availability of Kristoffer Khazeni, who was replaced in the early stages of the team's last game.

Christoffer Nyam has found the back of the net on five occasions in all competitions this season, and the 30-year-old will again feature in the final third of the field for the home side.

As for Halmstads, head coach Maglund could have a full squad available, with the team not reporting any injury concerns ahead of Monday's contest.

There is every chance that it will be a case of same again in terms of team selection, with the XI that took to the field for the first whistle against Goteborg keeping their spots.

Viktor Granath is the team's leading goalscorer this season with six, and the 29-year-old is set to continue in the final third of the field for this match.

IFK Norrkoping possible starting lineup:

Jansson; Eid, Lund, Eriksson, Baggesen; Skulason, Traustason; Shabani, Hammershoy-Mistrati, Lind; Nyman

Halmstads BK possible starting lineup:

Safqvist; Ofosu-Ayeh, Johansson, Baffoe, Olsson; Allansson, Svedberg, Al Ammari, Mohammed; Ahlstrand, Granath

We say: IFK Norrkoping 1-2 Halmstads BK

Halmstads are the form team entering the match, but it will not be straightforward against a Norrkoping outfit that certainly have enough quality to claim a positive result. We are expecting a close match on Monday but have ultimately sided with Halmstads, with Granath potentially on the scoresheet once more.

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