Ritah Kivumbi registered her first goal of the season for Mallbacken despite losing 4-3 to Alingsas in Saturday’s Swedish Elitettan game.
Mallbacken headed into the encounter on the back of a two-game winless run, including last weekend’s 1-0 triumph over Bollstanas while the Alingasas suffered their first defeat in a 2-0 loss to AIK.
And Kivumbi was handed her first start of the season, after her contributions to Conny Johansson's two opening victories but her effort was not enough to ensure they extended the fine run.
And the Uganda international rewarded the manager for affording her the starting role as she opened the scoring for the hosts just five minutes into the tie to gain a first-half advantage.
The visitors resumed the second half on a high and they found a way back when Ina Österlind netted three minutes after the restart at Strandvallen.
In the 57th minute, Pernilla Milton doubled the lead for Lars Bjork's team but Felicia Edgren levelled for the hosts five minutes later.
The back-and-forth continued between the ambitious sides as in-form Osterlind restored Bjork's advantage in the 67th minute but Fanny Flyckt secured the equaliser for the hosts a minute later.
However, Osterlind struck eight minutes from time to seal the victory as Johansson's team could not find a late response, condemning them to their first league defeat of the season.
Kivumbi, who opened her Elittetan goal account for the new campaign, lasted for 66 minutes before she made way for Fanny Flyckt, while Nigeria's Sarah Micheal was an unused substitute.
The defeat saw Mallbacken drop to fourth on the log with six points - three behind leaders AIK after three matches and they will seek to return to winning ways against 10th placed Kalmar on July 1.