Gais had been waiting for twelve years to play in an Allsvenskan derby again.
Then the newcomer also got a heavy 2–1 victory against “big brother” IFK Göteborg.
– It’s unbelievable, what a feeling, says Alexander Ahl Holmström.
Alexander Ahl Holmström had to start on the bench in Gai’s first Allsvenskan match against IFK Göteborg since 2012 (when both derbies ended in a draw).
But when the crowd favorite was substituted in the second half, it didn’t take long for him to make his mark on the game.
With just over a quarter of an hour left to play, he first played Gustav Lundgren for a great chance and then got the chance himself – and took it.
After a long pass from Harun Ibrahim, Ahl Holmström was completely free and scored 2-0 in front of the home team.
It hasn’t passed in a day. We have worked hard as a team, we have a clear game idea and coaching team. And good players, says Alexander Ahl Holmström to TV4 Play.
Repeat mode
That the supporters – on both sides – had been charging for the match for a long time was clear long before the match started. The atmosphere in the stands was top notch. But even among the players it was clearly noticed that a derby means extra.
IFK Göteborg, who lost against Häcken 0–1 in the first Gothenburg derby of the season, started clearly the best, but did not get the really sharp chances.
It paid off after just over half an hour when Gais received a free kick out on his right wing.
Robin Wendin Thomasson hit the ball into the penalty area – where IFK Göteborg’s defense completely missed the mark. First to the ball was Axel Henriksson instead, who aimed for that area earlier in the half and easily poked in the lead goal.
I visualized it in front of me, I have exactly such a situation before. They are lazy on that surface and didn’t read it, so it was nice to slap it there, he tells TV4 Play.
The goal was enough for Gais to go into the half-time break in the lead despite a half which, in Henriksson’s words, was “quite bad”.
Late reduction
However, the game got better in the second half. IFK Göteborg’s increasingly desperate pursuit of an equalizer left large spaces in the defense, which Gais was also able to exploit in the end.
There could also have been further goals when Gais lined up chances at the end. But two full hits were enough.
IFK Göteborg were admittedly on in the last and reduced in extra time (Paulos Abraham).
But in the end, Gais was able to celebrate a derby victory again – for the first time since 2011.