The Boras Arena with its artificial pitch.
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Elfsborg Boras vs AIK Solna – home win at 4/5
Today’s featured game is the Allsvenskan encounter between league leaders Elfsborg Boras and title challengers AIK Solna.
Although the Allsvenskan table would have you believe that there’s not much between these two sides, I’m personally of the opinion that there is a lot between these two sides because Elfsborg are a better side than AIK.
AIK do as well as they do because they’re very well organised tactically, which is something that not many Allsvenskan sides can actually say. Defensively, this side bluntly refuses to concede goals on a regular basis and thus any goals that they score themselves tend to be rather final and match-winning goals, depending on the opponent.
Elfsborg, on the other hand, look to be everything that AIK Solna are not. They have a wealth of attacking options that combine experience with youth whilst always demonstrating a ruthless efficiency when it comes to winning games. Elfsborg are the side that AIK aspire to be, as strange as that might sound, especially with AIK actually being the bigger club. Elfsborg haven’t played as well at home in Boras this season as their record indicates, having been outplayed by GAIS Goteborg and Djurgarden respectively, not to mention being given a tough game by IFK Goteborg. What do all three of those games have in common, though? That’s right – Elfsborg won them all. Champions win ugly and I can’t see another Allsvenskan side playing as much like champions as Elfsborg are right now.
On their beloved artificial turf, Elfsborg are virtually untouchable and I expect that to show today. Last season, AIK uncharacteristically scored two goals in Boras and claimed a shock 2-2 draw here thanks to the help of the two Sierra Leone strikers, both named Bangura. Both have since left AIK Solna and it’s worth noting that Elfsborg absolutely pulverised AIK in that game but AIK goalkeeper Turina had the game of his life in that encounter, keeping Elfsborg from scoring five or six goals. I doubt AIK will be able to be as fortunate today, especially with Turina a big doubt for this game, alongside defender Milosevic.
I saw AIK’s derby with Djurgarden and they were ineffectual at best, as per usual. They don’t concede many chances and thus don’t concede many goals but their only attacking threat comes from Celso Borges so you can see why AIK don’t score many either. They can win 1-0 etc. against lesser sides but they’re going to concede goals against better or similar sides to themselves and therefore I find it very hard to envision them winning here as Elfsborg always score at home. AIK only equalised against Djurgarden thanks to a freak own goal anyway and prior to the derby had looked similarly unimpressive for a number of games. They’re an efficient side, AIK, but only in the right games, and this isn’t one of them, in my view. The only advantage I will give to AIK is that Elfsborg miss regular defenders Jonsson and Fridgeirsson today but as AIK possess very little firepower, I can’t say I’m too concerned with that news.
For me, taking Elfsborg to win at home at 4/5 is pure value anyway, but taking it against a side that doesn’t score goals is just ludicrously good value! The only failing I can see for this tip is if Elfsborg don’t score and with Hult, Claesson, Ishizaki, Elm, Nilsson, and Jawo in the Elfsborg squad, I can’t really see that happening. Therefore, my call is for the league leaders to increase their impressive lead at the top of the Allsvenskan even further by beating boring AIK Solna today.
Verdict: Elfsborg Boras to win at 4/5
