Finnish Football | Veikkausliiga | 04.06.17
The season continues and there is three matches of Veikkausliiga today again. HIFK will face Ilves, KuPS goes against IFK M and RoPS will fight against the nordic giant HJK.
04.06.2017 (UTC +3)
Three matches again today! Pretty nice eh? I like beer.
HIFK - Ilves | 18:30
HIFK is full of "tired old men". They still do have the attitude and enough skill to make every game a tough one for the opponent. The striker situation is interesting as there is three former (ok, maybe not so former) top strikers playing in the otherwise pretty average team. The player material can be only bend such that normally (and maybe in the best occasion) one of the strikers is in starting eleven.
Ilves in other hand has been doing as expected. The games have gone bad lately, but the team will probably bounce back fresh once they get their heads back together. Something happened to them after the game against RoPS (and the following matches) and Ilves has not yet fully recovered as a team. This is still going to be X or 2.
KuPS - IFK M | 18:30
The reigning champion visits Savonia. KuPS side is very strong but so is IFK M if they can just play their own game. KuPS has the material but no tactics, IFK M has them both but that is yet to materialize this year.
There is only Marc Nordqvist from the away team missing for sure. KuPS will get back their massive top striker Gbolahan Salami from suspension. This can end any way as there is no underestimating IFK M or overestimating KuPS under the control of Marko Rajamäki Jani Honkavaara who is not known for long-lasting good forms (just like former KuPS manager Rajamäki) :)
If I had to predict the result, this would end 2-1, 1-1 or 1-2.
RoPS - HJK | 18:30
This seems also impossible for the home side. HJK team is so strong that they are capable of beating any opponent without a problem. Luckily the reality does not work like that! Rovaniemi nearby the Arctic Circle has always been a tough place to visit for almost all the other teams in the league. HJK is no different and we will see what today will bring.
RoPS is a very young team and today they will face a team full of professionals. The answer is there between the words. Will the will overcome the skill? There is a doubt if a skilled youngster Saku Ylätupa, who is on loan from HJK will be able to play today. I cannot recall any suspensions right now but it does not help that there is a lot of injuries for RoPS. HJK side can handle them because their roster should hold the quality and the quantity so there is really no one to mention missing today.
The home side can make a surprise, but this can also end around 0-5.
I will be updating/correcting this post during the day and the matches...
13:52 - Corrected a brainfart. KuPS manager is Honkavaara, not Rajamäki (anymore)...
14:46 - Ylätupa playing for RoPS but missing the whole midfield lol... Muinonen-Taylor-Okkonen all injured. Not looking good. HJK playing all-in.
ARCHIVE: