Djurgården Embarks on Quest to Break Three Decades of Swedish Heartbreak

Djurgarden face an exciting opportunity to become the first Swedish team to reach a European quarter-final since the 1994/95 season as they head to Cyprus this evening to take on Pafos in the first leg of the UEFA Conference League (UECL) Round of 16.

The Stockholm club will be keen to rectify the disappointment of two years ago, when they were eliminated 5-0 on aggregate by Poland’s Lech Poznan, their only previous appearance at this stage of the competition.

Confident in their current form, Jani Honkavaara’s side are on a four-match winning streak in the UECL, having bounced back from a sluggish start that saw them secure just one point from their initial two group stage matches.

These victories propelled them to a fifth-place finish among the 36 teams in the league phase, allowing them to bypass the play-off round entirely.

However, it’s worth noting that their latest victory came against Legia Warsaw back on December 19th.

Since then, Djurgarden have contested three matches in the Svenska Cupen, managing one win, one draw, and suffering a 4-3 defeat at home to Goteborg last Saturday, which should help them regain match sharpness.

While recent form may not necessarily be indicative of success, Djurgarden’s away record in Europe could prove pivotal as they make their way to the Limassol Stadium.

Out of 17 away fixtures in the competition’s brief history, Djurgarden have secured seven wins, drawn four, and lost just three times.

This season, their only away loss came in the first qualifying round against Progres Niederkorn, a 1-0 defeat that was rendered meaningless due to their 3-0 advantage from the home match.

Since that setback, they’ve achieved three wins and two draws on the road in the UECL, including a 2-2 draw with LASK and victories of 1-0 and 2-1 against The New Saints and Vikingur Reykjavik, respectively.

A similar performance tonight could see them take a significant step toward the quarter-finals, aiming to reach this level of a major European competition for the first time since the inaugural European Cup in 1955/56.

In that campaign, the Blue Stripes were eliminated by Scottish outfit Hibernian, losing both legs.

They also have the chance to become the first Swedish team to reach the last eight of a European tournament since Goteborg’s heart-breaking exit to Bayern Munich on away goals in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.

To achieve this, Djurgarden will need one of their strikers to step up and make their mark on the tie.

In the league phase, eight different players found the net, but the top scorers, Tobias Gulliksen, Deniz Hummet, and Tokmac Chol Nguen, have all managed just two goals each.

The Swedes’ Challenge Against Djurgarden

Standing in their way will be the Cypriot side Pafos, who finished 12th in the league phase, just three points behind Djurgarden, in what has been a remarkable European debut season thus far.

Pafos currently top the Cypriot First Division and solidified their position as the leading team on the island by overcoming fellow nationals Omonia 3-2 on aggregate in the UECL play-off round.

A 2-1 victory in the second leg marked their third consecutive home win in Europe, having already claimed victory over Celje and Astana.

Notably, Pafos feature two Swedish players who could influence the outcome against their compatriots.

Midfielder Ken Sema, with 24 caps for Sweden, joined Pafos at the end of January from Watford. He made an impact off the bench against Omonia, providing the assist for Mislav Orsic’s late equaliser in the first leg.

Forward Muamer Tankovic, who represented the Blagult five times between 2014 and 2020, is also part of the Pafos squad for tonight’s encounter.

Although he hasn’t scored in the main competition, he netted once in each of the three qualifying rounds completed by Pafos.

The 30-year-old has also assisted goals against Petrocub and Lugano in the league phase and contributed with a key assist for Jonathan Silva’s decisive goal in the second leg against Omonia.

Both Swedish internationals excel in link-up play and will pose a significant threat to Djurgarden’s European aspirations.