What was once a runaway is now a four-way race.
IF Elfsborg saw its once commanding lead in the 2012 Allsvenskan shrink to just two points as BK Häcken, Malmö FF and AIK all took advantage of the Borås side’s loss to IFK Göteborg to close the game on the league leaders.
Häcken, Malmö and AIK all claimed victories Sept. 17 to remained clumped at 42 points, two back of first-place Elfsborg. Häcken holds the tie-break advantage with the best goal difference. Häcken is the highest-scoring team in the Allsvenskan this season with 50 goals in 22 goals.
The Göteborg side might just have the inside track in the title chase thanks to its scoring tandem of Waris Majeed and Rene Makondele Muszola. Majeed, a Ghana international now in his third season with Häcken, has 18 goals.
Muzola, a well-traveled Congolese international, is in his 12th season in the Allsvenskan and is enjoying his best year to date. He has 12 goals and five assists to give him 17 points. The combined 30 goals of Majeed and Muzola equals the entire team scoring for AIK through 20 games.
IFK Göteborg opened the door to the three-team challenge when it beat Elfsborg 2-1 on Sept. 16 at Gamla Ullevi Stadium. The result held Elfsborg at 44 points while Häcken, Malmö and AIK moved to 42 points. Häcken continues to bank on its dynamic scoring to pace its offense, both Malmö and AIK called in reinforcements for the final push.
AIK welcomed Mohamed Bangura back to Solna as the Sierra Leone striker returned from Glasgow Celtic on loan. Bangura signed with Celtic last year after electrifying the Allsvenskan for two years, scoring 13 goals in 33 matches. He moved to Glasgow last fall but failed to make an impact. Celtic sent him back to Sweden in hopes he would rediscover his scoring touch.
Malmö, meanwhile, picked up South African international striker Tokelo Anthony Rantie on loan from Stars Academy in South Africa. Malmö brought in Rantie to replace Mathias Ranegie, who joined Udinese over the summer. Rantie was an instant, scoring three times in his debut in a Swedish Cup match in August.
MFF also snapped up winger David Löfquist on loan from Parma in the Italian Serie A. Löfquist moved to Parma last summer from Mjällby but never played for the club. Parma loaned him to Serie B outfirt Gubbio, where he played nine matches before heading for Skane.

By Chipp Reid

Häcken 2, Gefle 1
GÄVLE – Waris Majeed broke open a scoreless match to lead BK Häcken to a 2-0 win over Gefle Sept. 17 at Stromvallen. Majeed tallied in the 54th minute. The goal was his league-leading 18th of the season. Nasiru Mohammed doubled the score in the 71st minute.

AIK 3, Djurgården 0
SOLNA – The final Stockholm derby to take place at Rasunda Stadium had all the elements of almost every previous derby, from a near-riot in the stands to debris thrown on the field to pyrotechnics briefly halting the match. It is also featured a result as AIK beat Djurgården 3-0 Sept. 16 to close to within two points of first place. Kwame Amponsah Karikari put AIK in front after 49 minutes. Mohamed Bangura tallied made it 2-0 at the 71-minute mark. Celso Borges struck four minutes from time to complete the victory.

Malmö 1, Åtvidaberg 0
ÅTVIDABERG – Brazilian defender Ricardinho notched his first goal of the season to lead Malmö to a 1-0 win over Åtvidaberg Sept. 17 at Kopparvallen. Ricardinho scored in the 72nd minute of the game.

Helsingborg 4, Sundsvall 0
HELSINGBORG – Nikoa Djurdjic scored a perfect hat trick to lead Helsingborg to a 4-0 win over Sundsvall Sept. 15 at Olympia Stadium. The Serbian striker struck in the 58th, 63rd and 72nd minute. David Accam staked Helsingborg to a 1-0 lead in the 48th minute.

Örebro 2, Kalmar 1
KALMAR – Örebro scored a major win in its bid for Allsvwenskan survival, beating Kalmar 2-1 Sept. 17 at Guldfågeln Arena. Abiola Dauda gave Kalmar the lead in the 28th minute. Alhassan A Kamara tied the game for Örebro at the 58-minute mark. William Atashkadeh scored the game-winner six minutes from time.

Mjällby 4, GAIS 0
SÖLVESBORG - Pär Eriksson scored a pair of first-half goals to lead Mjällby to a 4-0 win over GAIS Sept. 15 at Strandvallen. Viktor Agardius and Mostapha El Kabir notched goals in the second half for MAIK.

Norrköping 2, Syrianska 1
SÖDERTÄLJE – IFK Norrköping knocked off Syrianska 2-1 Sept. 14 at Södertälje Football Arena. Lars Christian Krogh Gerson fired Peking into the lead after two minutes. Imad Khalili doubled the lead in the 75th minute. Robert Massi scored in the 76th minute for Syrianska.