IFK Mariehamn vs MyPa Anjalankoski
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Today’s secondary featured game is between IFK Mariehamn and MyPa Anjalankoski. The visitors have gained a couple of impressive results lately but I expect them to be case aside in Aland today.
Why? Well, IFK are simply the better of these two sides, to begin with. The islanders may not be the best away from home but they’re a nightmare to face on their own turf. HJK Helsinki lost an epic game here due to the tenacity and the belief of the hosts and that’s all that won IFK the game at home to FC Honka Espoo a couple of days ago too. Well, that and American goalkeeper Wicks, who pulled off a couple of good saves to deny Dudu. IFK have already won three out of five home games in the Veikkausliiga due to their tenacity and talent and I expect them to improve that record today. They will struggle without long-term absentee Okodugha, naturally, but Kangaskolkka is easing into the striker role more and more nowadays and it’s helping IFK along massively as Lehtinen is overrated and Ingves is still a tad inexperienced. IFK have a good midfield, especially with Forsell at the heart of it, and I think that should show today as it normally does in their home games.
Visitors MyPa have won back-to-back games ahead of this encounter and that generally means “avoid” as a prediction in a game like this. However, despite their wins, they’ve really not convinced me, primarily because they’re a terrible team. They beat VPS Vaasa 1-0 thanks to a splendid free-kick – nothing more – and won 1-5 at Jaro Pietarsaari last match because Zeze was stupid enough to get himself sent off and Jaro eventually capitulated, conceding three out of those five goals in the last five minutes of the game. MyPa are battlers but nothing more; they’re utterly bereft of talent from back to front in this team with only Okkonen, Saxman, and Inannen being exempt from that list, if they feel inclined to demonstrate it. MyPa don’t tend to concede too many goals as they’re used to being a solid defensive side but they’re not a talented side anymore and they’re certainly not the European side that they professed to be last year either. I just don’t rate this team whatsoever and irrespective of the momentum that they bring into this game, I cannot look upon them as anything but a poor side.
IFK won 0-2 in Anjalankoski back in May and a similar scoreline wouldn’t surprise me today. The hosts are too good for MyPa and as long as they have the necessary creativity in midfield without Okodugha then they should make it count. MyPa’s form of late is based more on fortune than ability and a competent IFK Mariehamn side should exploit that today. For me, there’s value in the home win at 9/10.
Verdict: IFK Mariehamn to win at 9/10.
Wednesday’s Picks
My tips:
As ever, below are my recommended value tips for today in no particular order:
OPS Oulu vs AC Oulu – away win at 9/10.
I know that derbies are rarely straightforward but AC Oulu are simply a lot better than OPS Oulu. I’d be interested in the visitors at anything longer than 4/5, which they surprisingly are here. AC Oulu haven’t been as dominant in front of goal in recent games as we’ve come to expect from them but their hosts aren’t even a shadow of the team that they were last season and they’re very much in the battle to avoid the dreaded drop to the Kakkonen this season. They work hard and don’t give in but when it comes to talent, OPS Oulu are very short. AC Oulu are arguably the best Ykkonen side and they should have ample opportunities to prove it today. I don’t expect a great game but a 0-1 or 0-2 scoreline looks more than acceptable here, in my view, as the visitors are good enough to beat anyone in the Ykkonen on their day, derby or not.
Verdict: AC Oulu to win at 9/10.
CSKA Moscow vs Lokomotiv Moscow – home win at 4/5.
I’ve been waiting for the opprtune moment to oppose Lokomotiv Moscow and this has to be it. Lokomotiv laid off boss Krasnozhan a few weeks ago following their surprise 1-2 home defeat against Anzhi Makhachkala on the understanding that he was involved in match-fixing for that encounter and subsequently, Lokomotiv’s whole plan for the campaign has been disrupted. Lokomotiv have appointed Maminov as caretaker boss for the present time as they seek to regroup but it’s far from ideal as Lokomotiv aren’t anywhere near as good as CSKA or Spartak – they usually rely a lot on their spirit and manager to get results and they have little of either right now, especially after a 0-2 derby defeat against Spartak in the last round of fixtures. Lokomotiv should really struggle to get a result here as the squad doesn’t know what its doing without Krasnozhan. I mean, hell – Lokomotiv have just agreed to sign ex-Internazionale striker Obinna on a free transfer; who the fuck has asked them to sign him? I doubt Maminov will be appointed as their new boss so either their chairman is getting too heavily involved or they’ve made a stupid decision. Either way, things aren’t good for the visitors here and with CSKA easing into form, I have to fancy the home win here. I’ve slagged CSKA off in the past few weeks and I stand by what I’ve said but they’ve played well lately, taken their chances, and they’ve thus won games, which is the main part of any side’s season. CSKA are a dangerous side whilst their strikers are in-form and their midfield is working hard and thus I fancy them here. Lokomotiv are rarely an easy side to play against but this is the best possible time to play them, in my view, and the hosts should capitalise on it at decent odds.
Verdict: CSKA Moscow to win at 4/5.
Accumulator fodder:
Spain U21, FC Lahti, FK Ventspils.
Recommended bets:
IFK Mariehamn, FC Lahti, and FK Ventspils at over evens.
As ever, if there are any explanations required then please feel free to post a comment! For the remainder of my thoughts on today’s games, see below, although I feel compelled to write that the below are not necessarily my tips but merely my thoughts to prevent endless questions about my thoughts on certain games!
UEFA European U21 Championship:
Spain vs Belarus (8) 2-0
Switzerland vs Czech Republic (5) 2-2
Copa Libertadores:
Santos vs Penarol (7) 2-0, at least one red card in this game
Argentinian Primera Division:
Atletico Huracan vs Gimnasia de la Plata (5) 0-0
Finnish Veikkausliiga:
IFK Mariehamn vs MyPa Anjalankoski (7) 1-0
VPS Vaasa vs Haka Valkeakoski (7) 1-0
HJK Helsinki vs TPS Turku (7) 2-0
Finnish Ykkonen:
Viikingit Helsinki vs PoPa Pori (7)
FC Lahti vs HiFK Helsinki (8)
Jippo Joensuu vs KooTeePee Kotka (4)
OPS Oulu vs AC Oulu (7) at least one red card in this game
Latvian Virsliga:
Liepajas Metalurgs vs Skonto Riga (7) 2-1, at least one red card in this game
Jelgava vs FK Ventspils (8) 0-2
Norwegian Divisjon 1:
Asker vs Kongsvinger (6)
Russian Premier League:
Tom’ Tomsk vs Rostov-na-Donu (5) 1-1
Amkar Perm’ vs Spartak Nal’chik (7) 1-0
Spartak Moscow vs Dinamo Moscow (6) 1-0
Rubin Kazan’ vs Volga Nizhnyi Novgorod (6) 2-1
Krylya Sovetov Samara vs Anzhi Makhachkala (4) 0-1
CSKA Moscow vs Lokomotiv Moscow (7) 2-0
FK Krasnodar vs Terek Grozny (6) 0-0
Zenit St.Peterbsurg vs Kuban’ Krasnodar (7) 2-1
Singporean S-League:
Woodlands Wellington vs Home United (7) 0-2
Swedish Allsvenskan:
AIK Solna vs IFK Norrkoping (7) 2-0
IFK Goteborg vs Elfsborg Boras (5) 1-1
Swedish Superettan:
Vasteras vs Assyriska Sodertalje (6)
Falkenberg vs Degefors (5)
Jonkopings Sodra vs Hammarby (6)
Angelholm vs Varnamo (6)
Brage vs Ljunsgkile (5)
Enjoy your free betting tips!