In a meeting between the division's basement dwellers, out-of-sorts Kalmar will welcome newly-promoted Vasteras SK to Guldfageln Arena on Sunday afternoon for a Swedish Allsvenskan clash.
The Red Brothers suffered a sobering defeat at the home of league leaders Malmo last time out, whilst Gronvitt managed to earn only their third result of the term versus Brommapojkarna.
Match preview
Following a much-needed two-goal victory away at Varnamo on May 19, Kalmar were unable to string together back-to-back successes due to a difficult Friday night in Malmo, where the Allsvenskan leaders showed no mercy and put their struggling visitors to the sword, winning 5-0.
By the time the half-time whistle had sounded, the Red Brothers were four goals behind because of a hat-trick from Erik Botheim and a fourth-minute Hugo Bolin strike, and although Kalmar finally registered a shot on target in the second period, it was little consolation as Kiese Thelin made it five in the closing stages.
Owing to their fourth-placed finish in the 2022 Allsvenskan, Kalmar were plying their trade in the qualifying rounds of the Europa Conference League less than 12 months ago, but Sunday's hosts are now in real danger of falling from the continental stage and into the second tier.
Heading into the final fixture before a month-long summer hiatus, the Red Brothers are currently languishing in 15th position in the league standings, although the one-point gap to IFK Goteborg in 13th will provide some reassurance that a quick turnaround is possible for Kalmar.
Despite a challenging 2024 for his team, the individual performances of Jacob Trenskow have been a source of considerable optimism, with the 23-year-old netting four goals and providing four assists in 11 league appearances, meaning that he leads his teammates in both of those attacking metrics.
After a testing start to life at the top table of Swedish club football, Vasteras have begun to find their feet at this level, securing back-to-back draws at the end of a gruelling May schedule, playing out a goalless draw with Sirius on May 20 before earning a point from Brommapojkarna six days later.
Firing in 14 goals during Gronvitt's title-winning campaign of 2023, it was 11th-game lucky for Jabir Abdihakim Ali as he netted his maiden Allsvenskan goal of the term last time out, although a Nikola Vasic equaliser meant that the 5,000-strong crowd inside the Hitachi Energy Arena witnessed a 1-1 draw.
Having played their football in the third division of Sweden as recently as 2018, Vasteras' rise to the Allsvenskan has been one for the football romantics, but the fairytale narrative has failed to carry into the current term, with Sunday's visitors sitting rock bottom of the table, five points adrift of 15th-placed Kalmar.
Kalle Karlsson's troops will need to drastically improve their attacking prowess should they wish to make a real fist of extending their stay in the Allsvenskan past the single year, with Gronvitt making the net ripple just four times in 11 matches so far, seven fewer than any other side in the league.
Due to Vasteras plying their trade in the lower leagues of Sweden in recent history, the two sides will be facing off on Sunday for the first time in over two decades, with the last meeting between the pair arriving back in October 2003, when Kalmar recorded a 2-0 win on the road.
Team News
Kalmar remain without the services of academy graduate Carl Gustafsson, but the 24-year-old is targeting a return from a head injury following the summer break.
Johan Karlsson is another absentee for the Red Brothers, with the right-back's only competitive action in 2024 coming for Sweden against Estonia back in January.
After being thrashed at Malmo last time out, head coach Henrik Jensen is expected to make a number of alterations to his XI, meaning that the likes of Alex Gersbach and Abdussalam Magashy could be promoted from the bench.
Vasteras suffered a major injury blow in the stalemate with Sirius in late May, as midfielder Simon Gefvert sustained a cruciate ligament injury and is now set to miss the remainder of the campaign.
Teenager Alexander Warneryd has stepped up to the plate as a replacement, though, with the 18-year-old putting in a positive display on the right flank last weekend.
Having conceded just the single goal in their last two matches, Gronvitt should stick with a back three of Mikael Marques, Frederic Nsabiyumva and Alex Douglas for this one.
Kalmar possible starting lineup:
Kindberg; Sjostedt, Saetra, Jansson; Gersbach, Gojani, Sipiao, Magashy; Jensen, Trenskow, Islamovic
Vasteras SK possible starting lineup:
Fagerstrom; Marques, Nsabiyumva, Douglas; Warneryd, Linday, Magnusson, Larsson; Johansson, Ali, Aslund
We say: Kalmar 1-0 Vasteras SK
After collecting one point and scoring just once in their first five away matches, Vasteras will not be expecting too much from their trip to Guldfageln Arena on Sunday afternoon.
Kalmar were put to the sword by Malmo last weekend, but the visit of the Allsvenskan's whipping boys represents the perfect opportunity to get back to winning ways.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Carter White
