Djurgården winner in the derby – Hegland hero of the match against Hammarby

The Allsvenskan is in the final stages and the Stockholm derby - the last of the season - was most likely the last chance to hang on in the fight for the gold.

Hammarby was best in the hunt for Sirius ahead, but now Djurgården has taken the lead in the chasing pack. Although the distance is very far, 10 points with seven rounds to go.

As usual, it was a Norwegian who became the hero of the match for the animal farms. This time Bo Hegland, assisted by the shooting league leader and compatriot Kristian Lien.

The goal at the end of the first half was the game's only goal.

Stockholm was wrapped in a cold October rain, which meant that the supporters who chose to wear scarves were probably happy with that decision.

The derby at 3 Arena does not usually end in Djurgården's favour. To find the last victory for the Blue Stripes, you had to go all the way back to the summer of 2022 before this match.

Initially, many spoke in favor of another defeat. It was the home team Hammarby who had the game, who attacked and who had the (few) scoring chances. Team captain Nahir Besara was back in the starting eleven for the first time in the Allsvenskan since "Bajen's" match against Degerfors on July 19.

Coach Henrik Rydström, who is the one who chose to keep him out, highlighted before kick-off Besara's ability to lift the green and white team in this type of big games. The fact that Hammarby was decimated by illness, minor injuries and a suspension of Noah Persson may also have played a role in the decision.

Besara also had a great opportunity when, after half an hour, he was given the ball in the penalty area by Djurgården's Patric Åslund, who hit an incredibly unsuccessful pass home. But the visitors' goalkeeper Jacob Rinne managed to stand in the way.

Djurgården had a hard time establishing a game, often losing the ball soon after they got hold of it. But statistics and ball possession don't always matter in the end.

Although the first half was by all accounts Hammarby's game-wise, it was still Djurgården who scored the goal.

In the 45th minute. Jeppe Okkels accelerated after Djurgården won the ball in the middle of the field. He passed the ball to Kristian Lien, who immediately pushed it on to Bo Hegland. The Norwegian put the wide side there and suddenly it was 1-0 to the guests.

- We know that Lien and I have a good connection in the box, so it's ten out of ten, goalscorer Hegland told TV4 during the break.

In the second half, both heels were burning with a good amount of pyrotechnics, which led to the game being paused after Djurgården goalkeeper Jacob Rinne signaled that he couldn't see anything at all through the thick smoke.

When the game resumed, it was more even than in the first half of the match. There was no shortage of chances for Hammarby to equalise. Nor for Djurgården to expand on further counterattacks when large areas were opened up in Hammarby's half of the pitch.

But no more goals fell.

An important prestigious victory for Djurgården, which also takes over second place in the Allsvenskan table. Djurgården is still 10 points behind Sirius. Hammarby, now third in the table, is separated by 11.

Extra thin for Hammarby is that centre-back Victor Eriksson was cautioned and therefore misses the next match, away against fellow club Halmstad.