Following one point and no goals scored in their previous three outings, few expected an upturn in form from Elfsborg as they visited Goteborg.
That appeared to be the case in the first quarter of the match as they were forced to soak up a lot of pressure from the home side, before Goteborg took a deserved lead in the 26th minute.
A David Kruse header from a corner was cleared off the line and the rebound fell to Sebastian Clemmensen, who volleyed neatly into the bottom corner.
But two goals from an unlikely source turned the match on its head before half-time - 40 minutes in, a curling free-kick into the box was headed home by defender Rasmus Wikstrom.
Then, in the 45th minute, Elfsborg launched a long throw into the box, which Wikstrom flicked on into the far corner of the net to double his goal tally for the season in the space of five minutes.
IFK had a goal correctly ruled out for offside and hit the bar, but their efforts to find an equaliser came up short and they fell to a second defeat in three. The 2-1 win moves Di Gule move into third, five points shy of leaders Mjallby.
Sitting in fifth, seven points behind the leaders having played a game more would not make most teams title contenders, but champions Malmo cannot be discounted, especially after a 3-1 win over Norrkoping ended a run of consecutive Allsvenskan draws.
MFF, who made a good start to their UEFA Champions League qualification hopes in midweek, took the lead just after half an hour when Hugo Bolin went on a driving run before teeing up Isaac Kiese, who squared to Sead Haksabanovic and he applied the simple finish.
Early in the second half, it was Bolin finishing the move as Malmo went 2-0 up, holding his nerve inside the penalty area to pick his spot in the bottom corner after a precise Johan Karlsson pass.
The home side had enough chances to make the score embarrassing for Norrkoping, but they didn't add a third until the final 10 minutes, when Emmanuel Ekong chased Busanello's ball over the top and finished cleanly.
A Christoffer Nyman header three minutes from time spoiled the Malmo clean sheet and was scant consolation for Norrkoping, who are without a win in five matches. Malmo, meanwhile, are five without defeat in all competitions.
