Allsvenskan - Game 12 - Halmstad (Away)
Santos and Martin Linnes make their returns from injury today, going straight into the starting lineup. KBH is also back after his very brief absence. We’ll be looking for a comfortable win against Halmstad, who are flying high in fourth place so far this season.
Romagnoli’s 5th minute long ball found Jovic racing through, but he fired over the bar under pressure.
KBH opened the scoring in the 19th minute, controlling Crisetig’s lofted pass brilliantly, and slotting it home from the sharpest of angles.
Just over a minute later it was two, as Jovic rose to power a header beyond the keeper from Romagnoli’s cross.
Díaz sliced the defence apart with a lovely ball in the 24th minute, but Santos stroked it wide.
Jovic ran half the field in the 26th minute before curling his shot narrowly past the upright.
It was an eventful period of play, and continued that way as KBH picked up his second in the 29th, brilliantly controlling Jovic’s low cross to leave himself with an open net.
From the kickoff we came forward again, and as KBH skipped inside a challenge, he was fouled and a clear penalty was given. Hat trick time for my South Korean superstar!
Things settled a bit until the 43rd, when Quintero added to the scoreline with a sublime free kick.
Quintero then turned provider with a lovely chip forward for Santos to steer a volley into the net in the 45th, but he was offside.
In the 48th minute Quintero went for goal from a free kick again, and struck the underside of the bar!
Unfortunately he was injured not long afterwards, so in the 56th minute Kardum replaced him.
In the 59th minute Díaz was hacked down in the box. Jovic’s turn to score from the spot!
Petkovic and Tinnerholm came on for Santos and Linnes in the 72nd minute.
Jovic hit the post with an 80th minute header from a Petkovic cross.
In the 88th minute KBH had his fourth with a goal of the season contender! Standing well to the left of the goal, and just a few yards from the backline, Kardum’s switch came to him via Romagnoli’s half volley, and he acrobatically scissor-kicked it across the keeper and into the net. Outstanding - his new contract looks a bargain (as if that was ever in doubt)!
Captain Helander added a header from a Romagnoli free kick in the 90th.
We were at our unplayable and clinical best today, led by the brilliant Kim Byung-Hyun. Poor Halmstad shipped 8 goals in their own backyard. When we play like this we can beat any team in the world in my opinion.
POM: Kim Byung-Hyun (9.9, 4G, 0A)