Siriusvs.Vasteras

The hosts have made a mixed start to the 2024 Swedish top-flight campaign and enter this match in 10th place in the league table, while the visitors are languishing at the bottom of the standings.

Match preview

Sirius made a very impressive start to the season, taking the maximum six points from their first two games, beating Halmstad 3-0 on opening day before downing Kalmar 2-1 on the road a week later.

However, things took a downturn for Blasvart after that, as they went five games in a row without a victory, including four defeats and a draw, before bouncing back agaisnt AIK a couple of weeks ago.

Last time out, Christer Mattiasson's side played out a 2-2 draw at home to Goteborg, but while they avoided defeat, it would likely have been a match they would feel they should have won, having largely dominated their opponents across the 90 and taking the lead on two occasions.

Still, despite their erratic performances, the one major positive for the side this term has been the form of their summer arrival Yousef Salech, who has hit the ground running in Allsvenskan.

The former Brondby man scored the second goal against Blavitt last week, marking his sixth goal since moving to Uppsala from the Superliga. He is currently the joint-top scorer in the league heading into gameweek 10, level with Malmo's Isaac Thelin.

Meanwhile, after securing promotion with an impressive 19 wins and six draws in 30 games last season, Vasteras have made about the worst start to life in the top flight as they could have imagined.

Only nine games in and Gronvitt have already suffered eight losses and are four points adrift at the bottom of the table. The only points they have managed this term came from an upset victory over high-flyers Mjallby at the end of last month.

Kalle Karlsson's side suffered a 2-0 defeat last week at home to Varnamo, marking their fourth league loss on the bounce, and the third game in succession they failed to find the net. To date, the side has only scored three goals while drawing a blank in seven of their nine league matches.

The visitors need a win here, but having lost all four games on the road this term and going up against an opponent with an in-form striker, their chances of managing one do not look particularly promising.

Sirius Swedish Allsvenskan form:

L

D

L

L

W

D

Vasteras SK Swedish Allsvenskan form:

L

W

L

L

L

L

Team News

Defender Patrick Nwadike will be forced into a watching brief for the hosts in this match after crossing the yellow card threshold for the season last week against Goteborg.

Daniel Stensson is expected to remain sidelined until next month due to a knee injury, while Joakim Persson and Tobias Carlsson are out with head injuries, though both players are expected to return to action in the next couple of weeks.

Vasteras will have to make do without the services of Burundi international Frederic Nsabiyumva, who sustained a hamstring injury against Hammarby and has been ruled out of action until mid-June.

Ibrahim Diabate was left out of the starting lineup for last week's loss to Varnamo, and Karlsson may consider bringing the Ivorian back in from the start here, given his side's struggles in attack this season.

Sirius possible starting lineup:

Nilsson; Persson, Castegren, Jeng, Widgren; Walta, Wikman, Milleskog, Heier, Sjogrell; Salech

Vasteras SK possible starting lineup:

Brattberg; Magnusson, Marques, Douglas, Gefvert; Lindsay, Asalund, Larsson, Diabate; Ahlinvi

We say: Sirius 1-0 Vasteras SK

Vasteras have been very poor this season and already look likely to struggle to avoid relegation less than a third of the way through the campaign. While Sirius have been far from impressive themselves, they have to be fancied at home against this opponent. We feel the hosts will claim a narrow victory in this one.

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