IF Elfsborg has faced strong criticism from referee expert Jonas Eriksson following a controversial goal in their match against Brommapojkarna. Eriksson argues the referee made a serious error by not stopping play while BP's goalkeeper Leo Cavallius was injured on the ground.
The club from Borås currently sits sixth in the Allsvenskan table with 31 points from 20 games. Their record shows eight wins, seven draws, and five losses, with a +7 goal difference having scored 28 and conceded 21. Their recent form reads LWDWW.
The incident occurred during the match between IF Elfsborg and Brommapojkarna when Elfsborg managed to score. The problem was that Brommapojkarna's goalkeeper Leo Cavallius lay injured on the ground and was unable to act when the goal was scored. According to established football rules, the referee should stop play when a goalkeeper is down and cannot defend the goal. This did not happen, leading to the goal being allowed.
Jonas Eriksson, commenting on the incident in Fotbollsstudion, was clear in his assessment. "The match should have been stopped, he says in Fotbollsstudion," was his direct statement. He emphasized that the issue wasn't about a questionable free-kick, but about a fundamental principle of player safety and fairness.
Eriksson further explained that the rules are clear in such situations. "It's not about a free-kick or not. When a goalkeeper is lying down, you should blow the whistle," he was quoted. His point is that regardless of whether there was a punishable offense or not, the referee has a responsibility to protect players in a vulnerable position. A goalkeeper on the ground cannot participate in play and is thus protected by the rules.
The decision to let the goal stand was wrong on all levels according to the expert. It was a mistake that directly affected the match outcome. IF Elfsborg's squad can be followed more closely on our squad page, where all current players are listed.
While this single incident is being discussed, IF Elfsborg continues their Allsvenskan campaign. The team trails league leaders Sirius by 14 points, making the title race difficult but not impossible with many matches remaining. The team's defensive statistics, with only 21 goals conceded, is among the better in the league and can be viewed on our stats page.
The next challenge for the team is a home match against Halmstad on October 11th. Halmstad currently sits second from bottom in sixteenth place in the table, making this an important match for Elfsborg's ambitions. The complete standings table shows how the competition looks ahead of the final rounds.
Finally, IF Elfsborg's next home match will be played at Borås Arena on October 11th, 2026 against Halmstad.
