FC Honka (5th) – TPS (3rd), Monday 7 PM
Live on Urheilukanava and streams
Ilta-Sanomat’s Ville Väänänen already declared that the title race will be run between three teams. There are 13 games to be played, but he is on the right track. Haka and HJK are five points adrift from TPS, who are third with a game in hand. Honka are seven points from the top, and are on the road to Last Chance Saloon with regards to the title challenge. It is pretty obvious, then, that this game is extremely important. A win for TPS would keep the visitors firmly positioned in the title challenge. If Honka win, they have a European spot to defend for the remainder of the season, but a home win would also give Haka and HJK the chance to take the money and run. A draw would have the same effect, and it is a result that would please no-one.
Both teams are on a good run. TPS have won four in a row and are undefeated in their last seven games, while Honka have picked four wins in their last five games following a difficult early season. Most likely this will be an entertaining game, with both sides acknowledging that tonight’s fixture will to some extend define where they stand when the second round of the league kicks off.
TPS have a full squad to choose from, but they did lose Christian Andreasen, whose loan deal expired. He played about 550 minutes for TPS and scored five goals. Aside from that he didn’t really look like a football player (which is why the supporters sarcastically nicknamed him “The Shitty Dane”), but somehow he always found the net. They should be able to cope with rest of the squad though: Riku Riski is red hot, Fulham loanee Wayne Brown does a good job in the midfield and Babatunde Wusu is a better Veikkausliiga striker than anyone – including me – expected.
TPS’ backline is a bit slow, which is something Honka could look to exploit with the likes of Jami Puustinen and Demba Savage. Nicholas Otaru will also be a threat to the TPS defence.
Honka are still missing Markus Paatelainen. That’s too bad, because he would face his brother Mikko if he was fit to play. John Weckström is Honka’s other absentee.
Any guess should be a good one. Honka have the home advantage, but TPS will have a good following by Finland’s standards, with 60 travelling fans going out to support their team. Honka have a slightly better squad, but TPS have played very well and the league and form tables speak in favour of the visiting team. This is splitting hairs really, but if you’re looking for the odds then TPS could be the right option.
Away win
July 6th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
I have seen highlights of Riku Riski and he seems very good footballer…doy you think that he can be a star? he is very diferent to the most players of Finland, the typical 10 (mix between Litmanen and Emilio Butragueño, former of Real Madrid).
July 7th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
He’s an excellent player. On a good day he can win the game for his team on his own, and not many 19-year olds can. He is quite skillful, has a good touch on the ball, strikes the ball well and knows what is happening around him. He is quite small though, but the world is full of small but excellent players. I wonder why he didn’t start at Honka, as he certainly would deserve a place in the starting 11.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
Thanks Juha. I proposed his name because all people taks about Pukki and Dalla Valle(excellent players, I have more faith in Dalla Valle), but Riski is no so namered, but I think that he has potential to be a star. I am sure that he will be in a couple of years in a good team of Europe, do you think so?