GIF Sundsvall vs AFC Eskilstuna Predictions

Sundsvall are yet to really get going this season; they’ve won just two of their 13 matches, which has landed them in a rather unflattering 13^th position, just goal difference above the drop-zone. Fortunately, this home match against Eskilstuna, who’re currently bottom of the pile, represents a big opportunity for the hosts to gain a much-needed three points.

It’s not been a great campaign for Sundsvall, there can be no getting away from that, though their problems largely lie on the road, where they’ve failed to win any of their eight games, losing five and drawing three. On their own patch, Joel Cedergren’s men have been reasonably tough to beat.

They’ve certainly not set the world alight at home, but having won two, drawn one and lost two, Sundsvall have done a much better job of getting competitive in front of a home crowd than they have on their travels. Defensively, they’ve not been amazing, as seven goals conceded in five games suggests, though they’ve done a more than respectable job going the other way, scoring nine goals.

Not only have the hosts saved their best football for home soil, but the visitors have been nothing short of abysmal on the road, so this really is an opportunity for Sundsvall.

Eskilstuna come into this game having won none, drawn none and lost six on the road this season. They’ve found it tough to get going offensively in those games, scoring four goals, though defence is their biggest problem, as they’ve shipped a mammoth 17 goals in just six travelling matches. To put into perspective, Saturday’s visitors have conceded more than double the amount of away goals that seven of the other 15 teams in the division have.

There honestly has been very little to like about the way in which Eskilstuna have gone about their business on the road. They’ve scored an average of just 0.67 goals, are averaging only 0.9 expected goals for, while they’ve shipped an average of 2.83 goals and an average of 1.9 expected goals.

Given that they’re hovering just above the drop-zone, Sundsvall wouldn’t represent much value at the current prices against most teams in this division, but against the weakest of all the Allsvenskan sides, they look a tad on the large side.

For all they’ve not been great this season, the fact that they’ve played their best football at home, scoring a pleasing average of 1.8 goals bodes well ahead of a game against inferior opponents, who’ve shipped a staggering amount on the road, so much so that backing the hosts to emerge victorious is the way for punters to profit.