Degerfors’ Andreas Holmberg said that Nikola Djurdjic, who once again got the chance from the start, is made for matches like the one against AIK.
A statement which, given the striker’s pale spring and his result against Gnaget, zero goals in seven matches before Sunday’s meeting, possibly made one or two football experts skeptically raise their eyebrows.
Nevertheless, it was Djurdjic who stayed ahead – a little too long according to the replay pictures but the offside blow was missed – and pushed in 1-0 in the 13th minute.
Spinning worse
AIK’s coach Bartosz Grzelak countered by giving Amar Abdirahman the chance from the start for the first time with the motivation that the 18 – year – old’s top quality is the game one on one.
When the match clock was on its way to a half-time break, Degerfors defender Gustav Granath got to experience how fast it can go. When Granath was dizzy, Abdirahman sent the equalizer into the net behind home goalkeeper Alfie Whiteman.
– I do not know what I’m thinking, up in the net… It feels good, I’m very happy, Abdirahman told Discovery +.
Grzelak was also pleased:
– He is good one against four as well, the AIK coach told Discovery.
Pressing heat
For obvious reasons, the pace of the Allsvenskan restart was not the highest possible. The thermometer showed close to 30 degrees and both teams focused on keeping the ball under control in the scorching sun.
AIK lacked warning-suspended Sebastian Larsson and Erick Otieno, but it was still the table runner-up who combined best in the first half.
After the break, the home team took over and the runner-up created several good opportunities to regain the lead. Both Djurdjic and Rasmus Örqvist, who assisted to 1-0, came to good closing positions near AIK’s goalkeeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt.
Degerfors’ attacks often came from the right wing, where the American Joe Gyau, one of the few flashes of light in the spring, made a comeback after injury.
Adhavan Rajamohan had the very best chance in the closing seconds but Kristoffer Nordfeldt saved a point for AIK.