Allsvenskan Results: Late Drama for Halmstad, Stalemate for Elfsborg and Malmo

Vasteras as Elfsborg and Malmo draw blank

Allsvenskan highlights and report: Halmstad beat Vasteras 2-1 with a late turnaround to boost survival hopes, while Elfsborg and Malmo draw 0-0.

Elfsborg and Malmo share the spoils as Halmstad boost their survival hopes...

Three sides suffered a setback in their push for European qualification in the Allsvenskan, while another enhanced their prospects of beating the drop, as Elfsborg were held by Malmo and Halmstad overcame Vasteras.

Halmstad Claim First Away Win to Dent Vasteras' European Push

Vasteras could have closed to within five points of third-placed Hammarby, but instead they slumped to a second defeat in three matches, losing at home to a Halmstad side who secured their first away victory of the entire season and are now five points clear of guaranteed safety.

Both goalkeepers were called into action in the first half, with visiting keeper Tim Ronning producing a fine one-on-one stop to deny Axel Taonsa. His resistance was finally broken on the stroke of half-time, however, when Jonathan Karlsson opened his body and curled the ball beyond him to break the deadlock.

Taonsa was guilty of another glaring miss after the interval, and Halmstad had Ronning to thank for staying in the contest as he produced a superb save to keep out what would have been a spectacular second from Mamadou Diagne.

Those saves took on huge significance late on. With four minutes left, Gabriel Wallentin pumped the ball forward and Pascal Gregor reacted first, looping a clever header over Elis Jager to restore parity.

HBK completed the turnaround two minutes into added time, when Hussein Carneil drifted in from the left flank and whipped a 20-yard curler through a sea of bodies and beyond a helpless Jager. Halmstad have now won two of their last four league games, as many as in their first 21, while Vasteras remain stuck in sixth.

European Hopes Fade as Elfsborg and Malmo Play Out Stalemate

Elfsborg may be unbeaten in five matches, but back-to-back draws have dented their European aspirations, leaving them four points off the top three having played a game more. Malmo sit five points further back, and with just one win in four, their hopes of returning to Europe are all but over.

The contest in Boras was short on clear-cut opportunities, with both sides mustering just two shots on target apiece, and only Leo Ostman's effort for Elfsborg truly testing the goalkeeper.

Elfsborg stay fifth and can at least take comfort from the fact they will not drop any lower this weekend, but the same cannot be said for seventh-placed Malmo.