The hunt for a place in the European Games came off a lot at home at Bravida Arena. Two goalkeepers ended up in the lead roles. Elfsborg, who has temporarily taken an angry Kevin Stuhr Ellergaard out of training, placed Tim Rönning between the posts for the third time this season. At the other end was the much more experienced Peter Abrahamsson and it was precisely the Häcken goalkeeper who got the spotlight at the start of the match.
On a free kick from just over 30 meters, Jesper Karlsson struck with a shot that looked to land straight in the hands of Abrahamsson. But Abrahamsson, who rarely makes any big mistakes, fumbled the ball into goal.
A little over a quarter later Ahmed Yasin was able to acknowledge the penalty after arranging it himself. Accident bird in Elfsborg became center back Alex Portillo who clumsily tore down Yasin.
Abrahamsson got revenge on himself when in the second half he stopped Karlsson from scoring his second goal in the match. Instead, it was Sivert Heltne Nilsen who could decide with his first goal of the season.
And in spite of breeding rumors from the Häckenklacken about Elfsborg's "uncertain goalkeeper", Rönning kept close in the other.
At the end of the quarter came a massive Häcken press where both hopefuls Paulinho and Ali Youssef tested the young goalkeeper who will learn to challenge for first place in Elfsborg in the future.