TFT Issue 189!
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Featured game
Pecsi MFC vs Lombard Papa – home win at 6/5.
Today’s featured game is the Soproni Liga game between newly-promoted Pecsi MFC and relegation candidates Lombard Papa.
The hosts have started the current season far better than I expected and have already surprised some of the bigger sides along the way, winning four out of their six games this season. Indeed, from their three home games, the only side that they’ve failed to beat was Kecskemeti TE and they had to score twice to avoid defeat against a reilisent Pecsi MFC side. It took a trip to reigning champions Fehervar last match to bring them crashing back down to reality but they’re still playing well with great enthusiasm and spirit and I can’t fault them for that. Nagy and Horvath are doing a lot of good in the team and the close-knit nature of the team makes them a strong unit. I don’t know how long they’ll last for in this division before they fizzle out due to a lack of depth but for the present time, I like this side quite a lot.
Visitors Lombard Papa aren’t in a good way, however. They’ve bagged two goals in their past four games and have lost back-to-back games ahead of this encounter. They’re still not a particularly easy side to score against but their goal threat is virtually non-existant and that is naturally causing them problems. That problem should increase tenfold today as Maric is absent for them. Given that they’ve scored five times this season and that he’s scored four of them, it’s safe to assume that the Serbian hitman will be missed here. Additionally, their best playmaker Puri is absent, as is regular defender Dlusztus. There is also doubts over the fitness of experienced defender Farkas so things couldn’t be much worse for the out-of-form visitors.
For me, Pecsi MFC are well worth 6/5 here. The visitors are a poor side whichever way you look at it and with three/four key players out for them today, I think the hosts are well worth a punt at 6/5.
Verdict: Pecsi MFC to win at 6/5.
Additional game
Wisla Krakow vs Lechia Gdansk – home win with -1 Asian Handicap at 9/10.
The best side in Poland got taught a lesson in Cyprus a few days ago as APOEL Nicosia ran riot and dumped Wisla Krakow into the UEFA Europa League. However, they should be focused on this game now that boss Maaskant has made it very clear that their focus is the Ekstraklasa title now and not UEFA Europa League progression.
Quality-wise, Wisla remain the best side in the division and they tend to show it against “friendly” rivals Lechia Gdansk. Reymonta is always a difficult venue anyway but a strong Wisla side with Genkov leading the line is a Wisla side to fear. They’ve got a couple of absentees for this game but nobody I’m too concerned about. Wisla are still weak at defending from set pieces but there’s more than enough pace and attacking ability from Malecki, Melikson etc. for Wisla to at the very least win this one.
My confidence in Wisla breaking the handicap after a hard game in Cyprus stems from unconvincing Lechia Gdansk displays, however. Their new manager is trying various approaches and none of them appear to be working. They’ve scored just twice in four games this season, which includes a goalless draw at home against newly-promoted LKS Lodz, so times aren’t great for the northern Poland outfit. They’re a bit short of players to make things happen with club star Traore not only out-of-form but also absent today. Dawidowski looks well past his best, useful attacker Benson is absent, and old hand Surma is missing from the middle of the park. Lechia can still be a nightmare to face due to their unity but they look a bit headless chicken-esque right now and against a superior Wisla Krakow side, I expect Lechia to do what Lechia do best here by losing agains Wisla Krakow.
The handicap may or may not be beaten – it depends how Wisla’s result in Cyprus affects them here. Either way, I expect Wisla to beat under-strength and demoralised Lechia Gdansk so the insurance should be there and Wisla definitely have the firepower to beat the handicap, hence my selection here.
Verdict: Wisla Krakow to beat the -1 Asian Handicap at 9/10.
Team news
Bulgarian A PFG:
Beroe – No news.
Chernomorets Burgas – No news.
Cherno More Varna – Zlatkov has left the club.
Minior Pernik – No news.
Svetkavitsa – No news.
Ludogorets – No news.
Levski Sofia – Ivanov and Yovov are absent. Tasevski returns.
Botev Vratsa – No news.
Croatian Prva Liga:
Dinamo Zagreb – Ibanez, Tomecak, Leko, Alispahic, Ademi, Chago, Biscan, and Morales are absent.
Lucko – Hovorka, Saric, Pejic, and Dumenic are absent.
Cibalia Vinkovci – Lucic, Parmakovic, Koledic, and Matkovic are absent.
Osijek – Jugovic, Ljubojevic, Kurtovic, and Pavlicic are absent.
Slaven Korpivnica – Jurakic is absent.
Karlovac – Cejvanovic, Novinic, Kovacevic, and Lovric are absent.
Istra 1961 – Grbac and Stratanic are absent.
Lokomotiva Zagreb – Poljak and Lilaj are absent.
Estonian Meistriliiga:
Flora Tallinn – No news.
Maag Tammeka Tartu – Prosa is absent.
Flora Paide – No news.
Levadia Tallinn – Nahk, Leitan, and Kaimullin are absent.
Viljandi – Leimann has been sold.
Nomme Kalju – No news.
Ajax Lasnamae – Kirpu is absent.
Sillamae Kalev – Uzkuraitis, Mironov, and Dudarev are absent.
Trans Narva – No news.
Kuressaare – Kluge is absent.
Finnish Veikkausliiga:
JJK Jyvaskyla – Okkonen and Korte are doubts.
Inter Turku – Abramovic, Makitalo, Asis, Parviainen, and Osinachi are absent. Sanevuori has left the club on loan.
Finnish Ykkonen:
KPV Kokkola – Kallikoski and Hakala are doubts.
KooTeePee Kotka – No news.
HiFK Helsinki – Tanner, Pyhala, and Heinanen are absent.
AC Oulu – No absentees.
Hameenlinna – Lappalainen is absent.
PK-35 Helsinki – Olatuga and Ristola are absent.
German Bundesliga:
Kaiserslautern – Lucas, Simunek, Vermouth, Kouemaha, and Nemec are absent.
Bayern Munich – Breno, Robben, and Olic are absent.
SC Freiburg – Butscher, Mujudza, and Rosenthal are absent.
VfL Wolfsburg – Friedrich, Diego, and Kahlenberg are absent. Cale and Kyrgiakos could feature.
Hoffenheim – Gulde, Jaissle, Simunic, Sigurdsson, Vukcevic, Weis, Ibisevic, and Musona are absent.
Werder Bremen – Boenisch, Naldo, Silvestre, Borowski, Avdic, and Ayik are absent.
Nurnberg – Schaefer, Nilsson, Divadi, Frantz, and Zeltz are absent.
Augsburg – de Jong, Verhaegh, S.Haln, Oehrl, Rafael, and Thurk (sold) are absent.
Hamburger SV – Macienne, Stepanek, and Guerrero are absent.
Koln – Rensing, Eichner, Petit, Pezzoni, Freis, and Ionita are absent.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen – Adler, Oczipla, and Barnetta are absent. Ortega will feature.
Bv09 Borussia Dortmund – Koch, Owomoyela, Bakalorz, and Barrios are absent.
Hungarian Soproni Liga:
Diosgyori VTK – Bacsa and Rakovic are absent.
Siofok – No absentees.
Budapest Honved – No absentees.
Fehervar – Vinicus may debutise. No absentees.
Kaposvari Rakoczi – Bank and Okuka are absent.
Paksi SE – No absentees.
Pecsi MFC – Goia is absent.
Lombard Papa – Puri, Dlusztus, and Maric are absent. Farkas is a doubt. Rodenbucher may debutise.
Lithuanian A Lyga:
Klaipeda – Borusas is absent.
Tauras Taurage – No news.
Kruoja Pakruojis – Petrauskas and Slavickas are absent. Baguzis returns.
Siauliai – Kolic is a doubt.
Macedonian First League:
Napredok – Simjanoski is absent. Zekiri is a doubt.
Metalurg Skopje – Ejupi is absent.
Ohrid – No absentees.
Vardar Skopje – Stojakovic and Grozdanoski are absent.
Sileks Kratovo – Stojanovic is absent. Petrov returns.
Bregalnica Stip – No absentees.
Moldovan Divizia Nationala:
Milsami Orhei – Team name changed back from Milsami-Ursidos due to strong fan protests. Ionescu, Boghiu, Caio, and Mendizov left.
Dacia Chisinau – No absentees. Fans not happy with boss Dobrovolski.
Academia-UTM Chisinau – Signed ex-Dynamo Kiev attacker Pasla – could debutise.
Sheriff Tiraspol – No absentees.
Olimpia Balti – Expect a full crowd tonight as they’ve amusingly said that any man attending the game with a woman gains free entry…no pun intended!
Sfintel Gheorghe – Lots of players back that weren’t available last week due to loan restrictions.
Zimbru Chisinau – Calancea and Kuznetsov are absent.
Iskra-Stali – Gorodetchii is a doubt.
Dutch Eredivisie:
RKC Waalwijk – Schet is absent.
NAC Breda – Jozefzoon is absent.
NEC Nijmegen – Stadhoulders, Ibrahim, Fejzullahu, Goossens, Will, Wellenburg, and Cmovs are absent.
Heracles Almelo – Maertens is absent.
Twente Enschede – Vujicevic, Chadli, and Kuiper are absent.
VVV Venlo – Nwofor, Leemans, and Molhoek are absent.
FC Utrecht – Fernandez, Krul, Duplan, Demouge, Nijholt, Lensky, Wuytens, de Kogel, and Nilsson are absent. Bovenbergh and Sneijder will debutise.
Roda JC Kerkrade – Donald and Svard are absent.
Polish Ekstraklasa:
Podbeskidzie Bielsko-Biala – No absentees.
Korona Kielce – Janczyk and Lisowski are absent. Malkowski, Hernani, and Cichos return.
Polonia Warsaw – Bonin is absent.
GKS Belchatow – Buzala and Modelski are absent.
Wisla Krakow – Lamey, Jaliens, and Jovanovic are absent.
Lechia Gdansk – Benson, Nowak, Sazankow, Traore, and Bajic are absent.
Polish Liga 1:
Olimpia Elblag – No news.
Polonia Bytom – Alancewicz could feature.
Olimpia Grudziadz – Bialek is absent.
Arka Gdynia – Zolnierewicz is absent. Mazurkiewicz, Flis, and Strzelecki are doubts.
Ruch Radzionkow – Michalik and Michalik are both absent. Otinowski returns.
Wisla Plock – Zambrowski and Wyczalkowski are absent.
Flota Swinoujscie – No absentees.
Zawisza Bydgoszcz – No absentees.
Dolcan Zabki – Stanczyk and Charzewski are absent.
Katowice – Niechcial, Napierala, Wierzbicki, Goncerz, and Kruczek are absent. Chwalibogowski is a doubt. Kozik may debutise.
Sandecja Nowy Sacz – Burkardt could feature. Borovicanin is a doubt.
Warta Poznan – New boss Platek’s first game. Kosznik, Iwanicki, Golinski, Zawadzki, Marciniak, and Bialozyt are absent.
Romanian Liga:
Vointa Sibiu – Burlacu and Buican are absent. Dudita has left.
Pandurii Targu Jiu – No absentees.
Astra Ploiesti – Grigore and Patrascu are absent.
Universitatea Cluj – No absentees.
Russian Premier League:
Tom’ Tomsk – Tigorev, Balyakin, Sosnowski, and Deneae are absent.
Amkar Perm’ – Novakovic is absent. Fixed away win.
Volga Nizhnyi Novgorod – Yashin is absent. Fixed home win.
Terek Grozny – Utsiev is absent.
Rostov-na-Donu – Radic, Yankov, Bracamonte, and Ivanov are absent.
Anzhi Makhachkala – Lakhiyalov is absent.
Scottish Premier League:
Dunfermline Athletic – Phinn and Bell are absent.
Motherwell – No known absentees.
Inverness Caledonian Thistle – Hayes, Tansey, Jones, Gillet, Proctor, Meekings, and Cox are absent.
Kilmarnock – O’Leary, Silva, and Heffernan are absent.
St.Johnstone – Davidson, Moon, Millar, and Parkin are absent.
Dundee United – Severin is absent.
Serbian Superliga:
BSK Borca – No news.
Borac Cacak – No news.
Javor Ivanjica – Jakimovski and Odita could feature.
Radnicki – No news.
Jagodina – No news.
Hajduk Kula – No news.
Spartak Subotica – Novakovic could debutise.
Metalac GM – No news.
Vojvodina Novi Sad – Ljubinkovic could debutise.
Novi Pazar – Bogunovic is a doubt. Odita has been sold. Purivic returns.
Slovenian Prva Liga:
Celje – Mocinvik is absent.
Triglav – Sever is absent. Bunderla returns.
Koper – Pucko and Duric could debutise.
Rudar Velenje – Mujakovic, Jelecevic, Bizjak, Klinar, and Purisic are absent. Jesenicnik and Majcen are doubts.
Swedish Allsvenskan:
Trelleborg FF – Persson and Abelsson are absent. Noring is a doubt. Simba could debutise.
Halmstad – No news.
Kalmar FF – No news.
IFK Goteborg – Eriksson has agreed to leave the club so may not feature.