In-form Elfsborg host bottom side Halmstad after the break
Allsvenskan returns from its international break on Monday, 12 October 2026, and Elfsborg open round 23 at home to Halmstad. Björn Hamberg’s side sit fifth on 37 points with a game in hand on most of the teams above them, while Stuart Baxter’s Halmstad are bottom on 14 points, five behind the play-off place with eight games left. Kick-off at Borås Arena is at 19:00, with Fredrik Klitte the referee.
Halmstad have not won any of their 11 away league games this season and have scored more than once in only one of them.
Predicted lineups: Elfsborg vs Halmstad
Elfsborg have used the same starting XI in each of their last three league games and there is little reason for Hamberg to change it. Simon Olsson, who scored the winner at Djurgården, has been managing a groin problem but is expected to start in central midfield. Striker Per Frick is still working his way back from hand surgery and Rohdén remains out with a muscle injury. For Halmstad, left-back Rami Kaib came off with a groin problem in a friendly against Öster and is a doubt; 19-year-old Oliver Kapsimalis is the likely replacement. Midfielder Tom Trybull has been dealing with back spasms, while goalkeeper Tim Rönning has been training fully after a knock.
Elfsborg Team News & Preview
Elfsborg went into the break in their best spell of the season. They have won six of their last eight league games, and the most recent of those, a 2-1 win at Djurgården, was a convincing one: they controlled the first half, won more of the duels and created the better chances before Une and Simon Olsson turned the game round after Wikström’s error had put the hosts ahead.
The home record is the part that matters most here. Elfsborg have won their last three league games at Borås Arena 3-0 against Västerås, 2-0 against Degerfors and 1-0 against Kalmar, and they have kept five clean sheets in 11 home games overall. With Leo Östman leading the line and Momoh Kamara involved in eight goals from the right, there is enough in this side to break down a deep block, which is exactly what Halmstad are likely to set up with.
What works for or against Elfsborg
- Three straight home league wins without conceding: 3-0, 2-0 and 1-0.
- Six wins from their last eight league games, including 2-1 at Djurgården.
- A settled side: the same XI has started the last three league games.
- Striker Per Frick is still out after hand surgery, which leaves little cover behind Östman.
- Elfsborg lost a friendly 1-0 to Häcken during the break.
Halmstad Team News & Preview
Halmstad have the worst record in the league for a reason. Sixteen goals in 22 games is the lowest tally in the division, and away from home the problem is even clearer: no wins in 11 attempts and only one game in which they scored more than once. Baxter’s teams sit deep and look to stay compact rather than dominate the ball, and that approach has kept some away games close, with recent defeats of 0-1 at Häcken and 1-2 at Göteborg.
They do arrive on a positive note after a 2-1 home win over AIK, with Omar Faraj and Hove scoring early in the second half, and Rönning has been one of the busiest goalkeepers in the league. But they are also likely to be without their first-choice left-back, and a 19-year-old filling in on that side against Kamara is not an ideal match-up for a team that already struggles to get up the pitch.
What works for or against Halmstad
- No away league win in 11 games this season.
- Only 16 goals in 22 league games, the fewest in Allsvenskan.
- They beat AIK 2-1 in their last league game before the break.
- Goalkeeper Tim Rönning is averaging around four saves per game.
- Left-back Rami Kaib is a doubt after picking up a groin problem.
Elfsborg vs Halmstad Odds
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Elfsborg vs. Halmstad Stats Comparison
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Elfsborg vs. Halmstad Form Guide
Elfsborg Form, Stats & Data
Elfsborg score 1.41 goals per game and concede exactly one, but the home split is what stands out: 17 scored and nine conceded in 11 games at Borås Arena. Magnússon’s rating reflects how much of their control comes through the midfield pair, and with Simon Olsson fit to partner him, Elfsborg should have plenty of the ball against a side that averages well under a goal a game.
Halmstad Form, Stats & Data
Halmstad average 0.73 goals per game and their top scorers have only three each, which tells you how thinly the goals are spread. On the road the numbers are worse, with seven scored and 22 conceded. They can make games awkward by sitting deep, but they have rarely shown they can create enough to hurt a good side away from home.
Elfsborg vs Halmstad: Prediction & Betting Tip
This is a clash between one of the most consistent home sides in the league and the weakest attack in it. Elfsborg have kept clean sheets in their last three home league games, they went into the break on the back of a strong win at Djurgården, and they have been able to name the same side for weeks. Halmstad have no away win all season and have scored more than once in just one of their 11 trips.
The one thing that gives me pause is that Halmstad are not always easy to beat. They drew 1-1 with Elfsborg in May, they come in off a win over AIK and Rönning has kept a lot of games closer than they should have been. A first game after a 22-day break can also be scrappy. Even so, I expect Elfsborg to win and Halmstad to draw a blank, and I prefer the win to nil over the short home-win price.
I will be backing Elfsborg to win to nil at 2.21 with Winz. If I had to name a score, it would be 2-0.