Djurgarden face IFK Haninge in a key Svenska Cupen match on Thursday evening. A victory at Stockholms Stadion secures a place in the cup's group stage, which is the target for Jani Honkavaara's side.
The information comes from Djurgarden Fotboll's official channels. The team enters the match with strong confidence following an important away win in Allsvenskan. They currently sit second in the league table with 38 points from 20 games, seven points behind leaders Sirius. Their recent form has been strong with four consecutive wins before the loss in the latest round.
Which players are available?
Angelo Agbejoye and Lucca Gentil have all their paperwork in order and are available for selection. Abdul Abdulmalik has also completed his administrative procedures and can be called up. However, Charlie Rosenqvist is unavailable as he is cup-tied after playing for Kalmar in the competition earlier this year. Coach Jani Honkavaara confirms that many players are ready and that rotation will be necessary.
"It has been a tough period with three away games out of four in a short time." said Honkavaara. The team has a congested schedule with a league match against GAIS already on Monday, requiring more players to get their chance. You can follow the entire squad's status on our squad page.
What do we know about opponents IFK Haninge?
IFK Haninge play in Division 2 Södra Svealand and are in third place in their league. Their top scorer is Pa Dibba with 17 goals this season. The squad also includes two former Djurgarden academy players, Kristijan Georgievski and Mattias Bouvin. Honkavaara notes that Haninge have many experienced players who have played at a high level.
"They play with a three-back line and have two strikers who have previously played in Allsvenskan," said the coach. Djurgarden have scouted the opponent thoroughly and know what to expect. The match will not be easy, and Djurgarden must keep the ball moving and be active and aggressive from the start.
Why is this cup match so important?
"It is a very important match for us with a cup place at stake and also a fun match for us where we get to play at the classic Stockholms Stadion," explained Jani Honkavaara. He expects many Djurgarden supporters to be present, which could create a home match atmosphere despite the official status.
For Djurgarden, who have scored 44 goals and conceded only 19 in Allsvenskan so far, the cup is an important target this season. Success here provides more playing time and an opportunity to test the squad's depth. All current league statistics are available on our stats page.
Following the cup fixture, an important away match in Allsvenskan awaits. Djurgarden travel to face IF Brommapojkarna on October 18th, a team currently in tenth place in the table. The complete fixtures list shows the busy schedule ahead.
