Bering by far the more consistent team in 2018, the only league defeat didn’t come until round 21) AIK were deservedly crowned champions at the end of the season. It was the excellent combination between rock-solid defending and great efficiency in the final third that made Yellow and Blacks the best team in the land this year.
Early on there were some worries about the stability in defence as centre-backs Nyholm and Ekstrand sustained season-ending injuries even before the beginning of the campaign, plus the main right wing-back Lundrstrom suffered a season-ending injury in round 5. However, the winter arrival of Milosevic proved crucial and organised by him the back line was outstanding. This gave AIK 18 clean sheets!!!
Despite going unbeaten in the first 2 months of the campaign the mixture of 6 wins and 6 draws kept AIK close to the top, but even outside the top three come the summer break. This was when coach Norling made some great piece of negotiating and the signings for free of the vastly experienced playmaker Larsson and winger Rashidi proved amazing deals as both of them became regulars in the second part of the season.
It would be fair to say that AIK won the title in the summer as between July and September they went on an eight-game winning streak that not only saw them climbing at the top of the tree, but also opening a nine-point lead.
The only defeat of the season came in round 21 on the visit to Norrkoping, the team that finished in second place, but the response to this setback was impressive and despite drawing 4 of their last 6 matches AIK had enough advantage to be crowned champions in the end.
Captain Goitom, soon to be 34, was the team’s leading top goalscorer with 12 and the fact that his crucial goals brought four 1:0 wins and two 1:1 draws makes him probably the biggest contributor of the team as thanks to these goals AIK accumulated the points they needed for the title.
