Haecken – Malmoe

Sweden's most decorated club won't back down in Gothenburg.

In recent years, Häcken and Malmö FF have become principal rivals in Swedish football. It would seem we are talking about a rather modest club from Gothenburg on one side and the most decorated club in Sweden on the other. However, since 2022 there have been, at least, two landmark events in the relationship between the teams. That season was Häcken's most memorable in history — for the first time in 82 years since its founding they won the Swedish championship. The two seasons before this triumph (2020 and 2021) and the two seasons after it (2023 and 2024) Malmö won the titles. Besides, in the previous Swedish Cup edition the rivals in the upcoming match met in the final. Then Malmö was considered the favorite of the match, but Häcken dragged it to a penalty shootout, during which they converted two more penalties. For the first head-to-head meeting of the current season the clubs come as table neighbors. The opponents have collected ten points from eighteen possible, have a positive goal difference, but their prospects for the season are assessed differently. Malmö currently shares the second position on the list of title contenders with Sirius, while Häcken occupies only seventh place. Bookmakers have made the home team the favorites for the upcoming match, offering odds of 2.35 on their victory. Häcken is one of two clubs that have not lost in the six opening rounds of the Allsvenskan. The second such club is Sirius, occupying the leading position in the table. However such statistics should not mislead. First, the Wasps have won only two of six matches, drawing four times. Secondly, Häcken have conceded at least one goal in five of the six Allsvenskan matches. Only their fellow Gothenburg club failed to score against Häcken, but they could have broken Häcken's defense with a penalty in the 25th minute of the match, which Tobias Heintz failed to convert. Malmö this season has managed to lose to Sirius and Mjällby, but earned points thanks to more wins. Malmö has not lost any of the last five meetings with Häcken, and will not lose to them on Sunday.