HJK – Inter Turku preview

Top-clash at a smaller than usual home pitch for HJK

HJK has to host Inter Turku at neighbouring Pallokenttä instead of their usual home ground Finnair Stadium because of the new grass that has been installed for the Women EURO 2009 to be held in Finland later this summer. The difference is that now they have to play on natural grass instead of artificial grass that they have for years, and also there is room for only some 3000 spectators. Good news is that the game will be sold out.

HJK have not played in the League since 31.5 when they lost away at RoPS, but they played a friendly against Honka and lost 1-2. Inter has had a similar break, they beat Honka in the League 1.6. 2-1 at home, and then played a friendly in Stockholm winning against AIK 0-2. The match-fitness is a questionmark for both teams.

Antti Muurinen, the head coach of HJK is not afraid, but respects Inter:” They have excellent individual players and we have to beat them as a team. The replacements for Hooiveld and Chatto who were last season´s best players and left for Sweden to play are learning their way sooner than expected and Inter is a serious title-contender also this year even though most experts did not think so.”

There are some injury worries for HJK as important captain Tuomas Haapala 5/0 is doubful, like his replacements Ville Taulo 4/0 and Cheyne Fowler 1/0 in the anchoring role. Paulus Roiha will be out for sure.

Severi Paajanen, Inter midfielder admits that the statistics are on the home side but adds:” the meaning is to make them look better after this game.” Inter coach Job Dragtsma is happy that the match is played on natural grass;” We never liked the artifical grass, so this is a good chance to show what we can do.”

Mika Ojala is the only absentee for Inter, otherwise Dragtsma has a full squad at his disposal.

Weather is sunny and hot today here in Helsinki and all the elements for a good show are in the air. There is more stuff at Nordic Football Info, as there usualy is.


H2H: 13-4-1. 25.08.2008 HJK-Inter 3-2

HJK:0-1-1-3-3-0
Inter:3-3-3-0-0-3

HJK: 1 Wille Wallén 10/0 – 3 Mikko Hauhia 9/0 – 4 Mohamed Kamara 9/2 – 5 Jukka Sauso 10/0 – 9 Sebastian Sorsa 10/2 – 10 Juho Mäkelä 10/3 - 13 Pyry Kärkkäinen 10/2 – 14 Valeri Popovits 10/3 – 16 Jarno Parikka 10/1 – 17 Dawda Bah 10/2 – 20 Jukka Raitala 10/0

Bench: 2 Mikko Hauhia 2/0, 12 Jani Viander (gk) 0/0, 18 Juhani Ojala 0/0, 21 Petri Oravainen 9/0, 26 Johannes Westö 1/0, 27 Mikko Sumusalo 1/0, 28 Nosh A Lody, 31 Akseli Pelvas 5/0, 32 Sami Salmi 0/0

out:15 Paulus Roiha 3/0, 6 Cheyne Fowler 1/0, 7 Tuomas Haapala 5/0, 8 Ville Taulo 4/0

Inter Turku: 1 Patrick Bantamoi 10/0 – 3 Claudio Verino 10/1 – 5 Alberto Ramirez 9/0 – 7 Ari Nyman 10/0 – 9 Guillano Grot 8/3 – 11 Timo Furuholm 8/2 – 14 Joni Aho 8/0 – 15 Severi Paajanen 10/0 – 18 Ats Purje 6/1 – 24 Joni Kauko 6/1 – 29 Henri Lehtonen 10/0

Bench: 8 Touko Tumanto 4/0, 12 David Monsalve (gk) 0/0, 13 Eemeli Reponen 0/0, 20 Arttu Seppälä 1/0, 21 Pablo Gomez-Marttila 0/0, 22 Sami Sanevuori 6/0, 23 Ville Nikkari 6/0, 27 Kennedy 10/1, 25 Ville Mäkilä 0/0, 26 Felix Åkerlund 0/0, 19 Aristides Pertot 6/0, 6 Jermu Gustafsson 0/0

out: 17 Mika Ojala 10/2

Prediction :Away win (1-3)