AIK take the spoils in Swedish climax

AIK Solna secured their eleventh Allsvenskan title and their first since 1998 after a 2-1 away victory over their title rivals IFK Göteborg in their final-day winner-takes-all showdown in Sweden's second city.

'Unreal feeling'
IFK headed into the game a point adrift in second place but looked on course to leapfrog the leaders when Thomas Olsson put them in front on 32 minutes. The visitors emerged inspired from the half-time interval, however, and overturned the deficit thanks to goals from Antônio Flávio and veteran Daniel Tjernström. "It was an unreal feeling", said the 35-year old. "It was my first goal of the year. I really picked the right match."

Perfect setting
It was a match billed by AIK midfielder Bojan Djordjic as being like "Barcelona and Real Madrid, or Manchester United and Liverpool." Not since 1966 had the two championship challengers gone head-to-head on the final day of the campaign, with the rivalry between Gothenburg and Stockholm adding extra zing to the perfect denouement.

Second-half comeback
Olsson's opener came after AIK's failure to clear a corner and sent the home crowd into raptures at the prospect of their team claiming the victory they needed to end a two-year wait to win the top flight. Their unbeaten league record at the sold-out Gamla Ullevi Stadium barely looked under threat, AIK struggling to summon up a shot on goal. The visitors came out after the break unchanged in terms of personnel but an altogether different proposition as a team. Their newfound vigour reaped reward ten minutes into the second period, Flávio finishing after fine work from Martin Kayongo-Mutumba.

Rapid revenge
The trophy was already back in the hands of the capital club but its destination was rubber-stamped five minutes from time when Tjernström profited from the build-up play of Kenny Pavey and Dulee Johnson. IFK can at least seek solace when they face their conquerors in the Swedish Cup final on 7 November.