VirestadGround: Kvarnavallen Visits: 1 Date: 21st September 2025 Match: Virestads IF - Gransholms IF 3-3 (Division 5 Småland Södra) Attendance: 150 On Saturday the temperature reached 24 ℃ but since it was the opening matchday of the table tennis league season I was indoors all day. On Sunday temperatures were slightly lower but it was still a nice September day and I decided to go to football after all this weekend. Virestads IF were hosting Gransholms IF in Division 5 Småland Södra at 16.00 and with Kvarnavallen being around 70 minutes away I could still enjoy a late morning. With three rounds to go Virestada are top of the table but Hovmantorp (2nd) and Ingelstad (3rd) are three points behind with a game in hand. An interesting climax to this league in coming weeks! Virestad has produced a few good footballers and Lasse Johansson is probably the most notable name. In 2008 Lasse won Allsvenskan with Kalmar FF but he is also famous for being relegated three consecutive seasons in Allsvenskan with three different clubs I arrived a few minutes late but it was still 0-0 as I entered the ground. The attendance at Kvarnavallen was much better than I expected and I estimate around 150 spectators. At half-time all of Virestads youth teams were paraded on the pitch and I guess that was one of the explanations to the big crowd. Gransholm are mid-table and don´t have much to play for but they scored twice before Virestad could pull a goal back. It was then 1-3 but two late goals meant it ended 3-3 at Kvarnavallen. The equaliser was scored from an indirect free-kick given after the goalkeeper held on for two long to the ball. I thought a corner was the punishment but in Sweden it is only Allsvenskan and Superettan where that is the case. In the lower leagues the new rule will come into effect in 2026 though. Virestad, Hovmantorp and Ingelstad will fight for the top three spots and I might go to one of these games in the final round in two weeks time. Match! Cars Entrance Kick-off North side North side View of play East End Clubhouse South side South side South side West End View of play |