TFT Issue 494!
FreeHowdy guys and girls!
Featured game
FC Lahti vs FC Honka Espoo – over 2.5 goals at 5/6.
Today’s featured game is the Veikkausliiga encounter between FC Lahti and FC Honka Espoo.
FC Lahti are done bafflingly well at home this season, which is something that I can only attribute to their hard work. They’re not a particularly good side and their best player this season (Taulo) left the club as his loan period ended a few weeks ago. Nonetheless, you simply can’t fault seven wins from eleven home games for a side that is basically packed full of Ykkonen players with the odd class act such as Dema. However, in the past week or two, Lahti were smart enough to sign the terror of the Ykkonen in Nguenkam from Jippo Joensuu, who should prove to be a good striker at this level. He’s very hard to handle and it’s no surprise that on his debut, Lahti won 0-3 away from home and he scored one of the goals. He’s a very good striker and a side like Honka can’t defend as it is so Lahti might just fancy their chances here. Most of Lahti’s home games don’t go over 2.5 goals but the games against the bigger sides all have gone over 2.5 goals this season. They beat Honka 2-1 here earlier in the season and to be honest, the same scoreline wouldn’t surprise me today, given how much Lahti enjoy surprising the bigger sides.
Honka are the better side here, though – we can’t avoid that fact. I watched them host VPS Vaasa lately and although they did well in the first-half, VPS troubled them far too much in the second-half with sheer hard work and pace on the counter-attack, which eventually paid off as they scored their second goal and went on to win the game 1-2. Honka were in control of that game too but they let VPS in due to horrendous defending from a set piece, as per usual. I admire Honka’s ability to attack and score goals, which should be aided by the return of Vuorinen to their fold. Petrescu, Otaru, Vayrynen – all good attacking players. Defensively, though – they’re just a joke and Lahti will almost certainly score against them today.
My sole problem with this tip (well, barring the fact that it’s Friday and Fridays are shit for betting!) would be motivation. Honka only play well when they’re motivated and although they’ve looked good in recent games, they don’t really have anything left to play for here. Still, they’re an attacking side and I expect them to give a good account of themselves here because of it – they’re simply not good enough to sit back and hold a side, even against FC Lahti. Lahti will want to impress their home fans and their spirits are high following their demolition job against Haka. Therefore, I think there’s enough momentum, determination, and firepower for this game to go over 2.5 goals, one way or another, and odds of 5/6 interest me a lot for that outcome.
Verdict: Over 2.5 goals at 5/6.
Team news
Argentinian Primera Division:
All Boys – No absentees.
Union de Santa Fe – Bruno and Maidana are absent.
Bulgarian A PFG:
Minior Pernik – Trayanov is absent. Vladinov may debutise. Neutral venue – Svoge.
CSKA Sofia – Platini, Karakidis, Benjelloun, Serginho, and Rodrigues are absent.
Botev Vratsa – Jairho is absent.
Litex Lovech – No absentees.
Ludogorets – No news.
Lokomotiv Sofia – Bornosuzov and Dafchev are absent.
Levski Sofia – Pinto, Vesalov, and Bashliev are absent.
Cherno More Varna – Yanev and Bergonsi are absent.
Croatia Prva Liga:
NK Zagreb – Pelaic and Vidakovic are absent. Livakovic may debutise. Naderic may feature.
Cibalia Vinkovci – Novak has left.
Czech Republic Gambrinus Liga:
Teplice – Hosek and Jursa are absent. Podany may debutise.
Jablonec – No absentees.
Danish Superligaen:
SonderjyskE – Hart returns.
Aalborg BK – Due and Wurtz are absent.
Finnish Veikkausliiga:
FC Lahti – Grossohmichen, Kari, Kemppinen, and Veltheim are absent.
FC Honka Espoo – Tammilehto is a doubt.
German Bundesliga:
Mainz 05 – No absentees.
Greuther Furth – Stieber, Zillner, and Ohandza are absent.
Dutch Eredivisie:
ADO Den Haag – Horvath and Leeuwin are absent.
Groningen – Ajilore is absent.
Norwegian Eliteserien:
Valerenga Oslo – Kone, Nordvik, and Ogude are absent.
Sandnes Ulf – Raskaj and Andersen are absent.
Polish Ekstraklasa:
Piast Gliwice – Matras, Cuerda, Urban, and Swierczok are absent. Osyra may debutise.
Pogon Szczecin – Budka is absent.
Wisla Krakow – Boguski, Kirm, and Jovanovic are absent. Melikson is a doubt. Bunoza returns.
Polonia Warsaw – Przybecki, Przyrowski, Szymanek, Injac, and Isidoro may debutise.
Swedish Allsvenskan:
Orebro – Haginge is absent. Kamara may debutise.
Djurgarden – Mikkelsen, Riddez, and Pedersen are absent. Broberg and Oyal are doubts. Rajalakso returns.
BK Hacken Goteborg – Chatto and Lewicki are absent.
Atvidaberg – No news.
Turkish Super Lig:
Genclerbirligi – Demir is absent.
Orduspor – Kabze and Sahin are absent.
Mersin Idmanyurdu – No absentees.
Eskisehirspor – Coskun and Gucer are absent.