The top spots of the 2011 Allsvenskan are back to looking a lot like the 2010 Allsvenskan as Helsingborg and Malmö seem intent on duking it out once more. Helsingborg won its sixth match in nine marches against just one loss to top the standings with 20 points, Malmö moved, with some help from Helsingborg, moved into second place despite playing to a draw in Round 9. Helsingborg beat former second-place side Kalmar, opening the door to Malmö to move up after drawing with Häcken.
Malmö has 17 points in nine matches and a 5-2-2 record.
The results set up the first head-to-head clash between the Skåne rivals May 24 at Swedbank Arena in Malmö. Last year, the teams split their series, each winning on home ground. Malmö beat Helsingborg last season in Round 25 to take over first place and eventually, take the title.
Kalmar fell to third following its loss and has 16 points.

By Chipp Reid

Helsingborg 1, Kalmar 0
HELSINGBORG – Erik Sundin kept Helsingborg on top of the standings as he scored the lone goal in a 1-0 win over Kalmar May 20 at Olympia Stadium. Kalmar went into the match in second place, just a point behind HIF. Sundin struck at the 29-minute mark for his second goal of the season. Kalmar dropped to third after loss, four points behind Helsingborg.

Gefle 2, AIK 0
SOLNA – Mikael Dahlberg scored twice to lead Gefle to a 2-0 win over AIK May 21 at Råsunda Stadium. Dahlberg scored twice in the first half, both times off passes from Jonas Lantto. The goals were Dahlberg’s first of the season. With the loss, AIK crashed out of the top four in the standings.

Örebro 3, GAIS 1
ÖREBRO – U.S. international Alejandro Bedoya had a goal and an assist the help Örebro beat GAIS 3-1 May 22 at Behrn Arena and snap a five-game winless skid. Patrik Haginge put ÖSK in front in the 36th minute. Mervan Celik tied the game at the 52-minute mark. Bedoya sent up Fredrik Nordbrandt for the go-ahead goal seven minutes later. Bedoya notched the third goal at the 67-mark off a pass from Haginge.

Syrianska 3, Norrköping 0
SÖDERTÄLJE – Syrianksa colledtec its first outright win of the season, beating Norrköping 3-0 May 22 at Södertälje Football Arena. Sharbel Touma, Yussuf Saleh and Imad Zatara all scored in the second half for Syrianska. Dinko Felic assisted on all three goals. The win was the first for Syrianska on the field. Its only other win was a forfeit victory over AIK.

Häcken 1, Malmö 1
GÖTEBORG – Malmö midfielder Ivo Pekalski celebrated his return to action after a knee injury by scoring the equalizing goal in a 1-1 draw with Häcken May 20 at Rambergsvallen. League-leading scorer Mattias Ranegie fired Häcken in front after 35 minutes. Pekalski tied the game seven minutes later. Ranegie now has seven goals.

Göteborg 1, Trelleborg 1
GÖTEBORG – Ragnar Sigurdsson snapped Trelleborg’s four-game wininng streak as he scored the equalizer in a 1-1 draw May 22 at Gamla Ullevi. Mattias Adelstam put Trelleborg on top two minutes after the interval. Sigurdsson tied the game with five minutes remaining.

Elfsborg 3, Halmstad 2
BORÅS – Lasse Nilsson scored with two minutes left to lead Elfsborg to a 3-2 win over Halmstad May 23 at Borås Arena. Elfsborg jumped out to a 2-0 lead after just nine minutes on goals by Niklas Hult and Martin Ericsson. Halmstad rallied in the second half as Marcus Olsson tallied two minutes after the interval and Javier Hernandez tied the game at the 77-minute mark.

Mjällby 3, Djurgården 0
SÖLVESBORG – Mostapha El Kabir scored twice to lead Mjällby to a 3-0 win over Djurgården May 23 at Strandvallen. Pavel Zavadil staked MAIF to a 1-0 lead after nine minutes. El Kabir then took over, scoring in the 45th and 61st minutes. He now has five goals this season.