GØTEBORG, SWEDEN - Charlie Davies made an early substitute appearance as a bruised and battered Hammarby fell 3-0 to first place IFK Göteborg in front of 14,543 enthusiastic fans at Ullevi arena on Monday night.

Bajen entered the game with a makeshift midfield as starting central midfielders and star performers for the season Sebastian Eguren and Louay Chanko were suspended for the contest. The loss of their midfield generals was clearly evident throughout the contest as they faced a tough tackling Göteborg team known for their tenacity.

IFK knew a win on Monday would give them sole possession of first place in the league, and they showed they were intent on getting down the flanks early on as late season signing Tobias Hysen as bent in a cross in the second minute just ahead of the onrushing Jonas Wallerstedt who crashed into HIF keeper Erland Hellström to earn a whistle.

In the fourth minute, Hysen was again active, and his run down the left gave a nightmare start to the visitors. Wallerstedt won a ball on the left and cut back nicely to Hysén, who was racing into the box. The former Sunderland winger carried the ball past defenders and toe poked a shot at goal that Hellström could only parry into the path of Niclas Alexandersson, who gratefully stroked home the rebound to put IFK in front.

Davies was upset over the slow start, especially after Hammarby had started flat last week against Elfsborg and been punished with an early goal.

"It was the worst possible start we could have had," Davies told American Soccer Daily after the game. "Letting in goals in the first 10 minutes - you can't get away with it for too long."

"I basically knew that we came out the same way against IFK as we did last week against Elfsborg, then it's not going to be the same this time. It is like in our away games, we are not there. We need a wake-up call and then it's too late."

IFK continued to look dangerous down both flanks as Alexandersson and Hysen threatened, and Hammarby had trouble maintaining possession as the hosts' hard pressing defense disrupted their passing game.

In the 22nd minute, Bajen went behind 2-0 after left back David Johansson notched an unfortunate own goal. Hysen broke free down the left and crossed into the box with IFK forwards charging the net. Johansson slid in to clear the danger, but only succeeded in deflecting past a helplessly stranded Hellström.

HIF had to wait nearly 25 minutes for their first chances of substance as Paulinho hit a long distance volley into the waiting hands of Bengt Andersson, and a corner kick resulted in another volley that Jose Monteiro mis-hit to give an easy save to IFK's experienced goalkeeper.

Iceland national team player Ragnar Sigurdsson went close in the 35th as his compatriot bent in a free kick from right of the box that he headed just over the box. Bajen responded with a chance of their own as Andersson finally found time and space to use his speed in the box and forced the home keeper into a diving slide.

In the 39th minute, Hammarby coach Tony Gustavsson looked to inject more offense into his team as he was forced to remove injured right back Monteiro and replaced him with Charlie Davies. The speedy forward took up his usual position up top, with Andersson dropping back into an offensive midfield role.

Davies spoke to ASD post-game about the difficulties of making an impact when HIF struggled to maintain possession.

"Tony just told me to play and try to be dangerous and do what I can," Davies stated. "That was also tough to do since we didn't really have the ball too much. Basically, I was just supposed to run."

While the Boston College graduate did do his fair share of running, he also drew an immediate gasp from the Ullevi crowd as he attempted a spectacular bicycle kick near the penalty spot, but got only a piece of the ball.

After 45 minutes of torture for Bajen fans, the opening stanza finally came to a close.

"The first 45, they completely ate us up," Hammarby coach Tony Gustavsson said post-game." They knew we wanted to play short and drew up their backline extremely high. We talked prior to the game that the key would be the 50-50 balls and crosses, and if there is something that IFK wins today, it is the 50-50 balls and crosses."

To make matters worse for Hammarby, a visibly limping Hellström was forced off and replaced by 17-year old debutant George Moussan.

Bajen began the second half better than the first, but Göteborg would again be the first on the scoreboard as they put the game out of reach in the 57th minute. Suleyman Sleyman misread a long ball over the top and Pontus Wernbloom burst past the straggling Bajen defense to cross to his partner Wallerstedt, who had dropped off his marker and headed home to add to Hammarby's pain and increase the deficit to 3-0.

As Bajen struggled to build attacks, Davies forced Andersson into a diving one-handed save with a bullet header, but he was whistled for offside on his slightly mis-timed run.

As more Bajen attacks stuttered, Davies showed visible frustration with his teammates. Left winger Sebastian Castro-Tello twice burst into threatening areas with the American in good position for a pace, but both times the Under-21 Swedish international opted for to shoot.

"It is frustrating," Davies told ASD. "Our first thought is not to get the ball forward, and especially to me when I really can use my speed against these types of forwards. That was real frustrating. I'd make good runs and get into good space and not get the ball."

The skied shot proved to be Castro-Tello's last contribution to the game as Gustavsson subbed on Fadi Malke for the youngster.

Wallerstedt should have notched his second of the net when ASD Man of the Match Alexandersson again burst free down the right, and crossed to the wide open striker, but he could only head the former Everton man's pass yards over goal.

The game opened up in the closing stages, and while Hammarby had more of the ball and attacked more aggressively, the Bajen players looked to be on different wave lengths and zigged when they should have zagged.

One positive on the night for Bajen was teen keeper Moussan, who made a number of solid saves. His best was against Hysen in the 78th when the winger found himself all along on the right, but could not beat the youngster.

Davies was forced to drop deep along the wings to see more of the ball as his teammates struggled to deliver quality service. His forays were largely positive as he won a dangerous free kick just outside the box that Andersson powered into the wall.

There was one negative for IFK on the night as Alexandersson was stretchered off clutching his ankle after a mis-timed tackle by Kleber Sarenpää.

Davies had a chance for a late goal in the final minute of extra time as he showed impressive speed and balance to break free in the box, but defenders were able to intervene before the striker could get off a shot.

Hammarby's loss leaves them wading in no man's land in the Allsvenskan table as they are in seventh place, and four points back from a European slot with three games to play. Despite the grim outlook, Davies remains positive.

"We are still shooting for the top four," Davies told ASD. "We are playing for ourselves just to finish as best we can now. Our remaining opponents, Helsingborg, Trelleborg and GAIS are not the toughest teams so we expect nine points."

In addition to league play, Hammarby has a critical UEFA Cup game away to Braga awaiting them on Thursday.

"It's my biggest game so far," Davies told ASD after the game. "To be going into it 2-1 is very fortunate. I know they play real well at home. If we can just play like it is for our lives, we have a good chance of getting a good result. That is basically our season."

ASD's Three Stars
#1 Niclas Alexandersson
#2 Tobias Hysen
#3 Jonas Wallerstedt

Scoring
IFK - Niclas Alexandersson 2 4'
IFK - Own Goal (David Johansson) 22'
IFK - Jonas Wallerstedt 7 (Pontus Wernbloom) 57'

Line-ups
IFK - Bengt Andersson; Hjalmar Jonsson, Ragnar Sigurdsson, Mattias Bjärsmyr, Adam Johansson, Tobias Hysen, Gustav Svensson (Eldin Karisik 81'), Thomas Olsson, Niclas Alexandersson (Stefan Selakovic 86'), Pontus Wernbloom, Jonas Wallerstedt (George Mourad 82')

HIF - Erland Hellström (George Moussan 46'), David Johansson, Suleyman Sleyman, Joakim Jensen, Jose Monteiro (Charlie Davies 58'), Haris Laitinen, Kleber Sarenpää, Erkan Zengin, Sebastian Castro-Tello (Fadi Malke 58'), Petter Andersson, Paulinho Guara