TPS - RoPS preview

TPS needs to improve home performances

TPS form from the right: 3-0-3-1-3-3
RoPS form from the right: 1-0-0-3-0-0

”We have been in control in all the home games, but have been a bit careless and unlucky in front of the goal”, says TPS playmaker Riku Riski, who got chosen into the Veikkausliiga all-stars starting 11 of May. ” Fortunately away against Lahti and KuPS also we succeeded properly in scoring goals and hopefully that form continues also at the home stadium Veritas when we meet out-of-form RoPS, in the league our position is good, we are only four points behind leaders Haka.

TPS welcomes back gk Jukka Lehtovaara (10/0) and mf Kasper Hämäläinen (10/0) from the EURO U21-tournament in Sweden, but they are unlikely to start. In the last match in the cup they were not needed when TPS took an easy way victory 1-6 against a lower-division opponent and cruised through 6th round. The match served well to keep up match fitness during the short summer break.

RoPS has struggled both home and away and they have only one win, but that was the most wanted scalp of all, the mighty HJK Helsinki. ” It shows that after all the League is quite even and anyone can beat anyone, though so far RoPS have not managed to get that many points.” Riski continues, ” the Rovaniemi outfit always have so many foreigners and new players in the team that it takes time to find their play, but it could happen any day now.”

RoPS last league game was played away at Tampere United, and the final score 3-1 loss shows that RoPS is still shy at travels.

TPS have pretty much full squad, Syväjärvi (8/0)and Simwanza(8/0) from the Rovaniemi side will miss the game due suspension, Turpeenniemi (6/0) is doubtful due injury.

H2H history in Veikkausliiga 10-5-5. Last match in the League Cup in Turku in March 3-0.

TPS: 1 Jani Tuomala 0/0 – 2 Iiro Aalto 9/0 – 5 Simo Valakari 6/0 - 6 Jaakko Nyberg 10/2 - 7 Sami Rähmönen 10/0 – 8 Jarno Heinikangas 10/0 – 9 Mikko Manninen 9/0 – 10 Riku Riski 10/3 – 16 Christian Andreasen 7/4 – 19 Babatunde Wusu 9/3 - 21 Wayne Brown 10/2

Bench: 3 Kalle Mäkinen 0/0, 11 Mika Ääritalo 0/0, 17 Roope Riski 0/0, 19 Patrik Lomski 5/0, 18 Chris Cleaver 7/0, 28 Mikko Paatelainen 10/1, 22 Jesse Saarinen 0/0, 29 Yll Hoxha 1/0, 23 Juho Lähde 0/0, 24 Jani Aaltonen 0/0, 25 Santeri Mäkinen 0/0, 27 Tuomas Markkula 0/0,
31 Alban Ferati, 12 Jukka Lehtovaara 10/0, 14 Kasper Hämäläinen 10/0

Out:13 Samu-Petteri Mäkelä 7/0

Coach : Pasi Rautiainen


RoPS: 1 Jung-Huyk Kwom 9/0 – Stephen Kunda 9/0 – Joonas Ikäläinen 8/0 - 3 Marko Koivuranta 5/0 - 11 Chileshe Chibwe 9/1 - 10 Chanda Mwaba 9/0 - 30 Echiabhi Okodugha 9/1 - 18 Christopher Musonda 9/1 - 6 Jeferson Pires 6/1 – 15 Mika- Matti Maisonvaara 6/0, 2 Godfrey Chibanga 6/0

Bench: 8 Nchimunya Mweetwa 1/0, 9 Zeddy Saileti 7/1, 12 Kari-Pekka Syväjärvi, 13 Jukka Yrjänheikki 1/0, 20 Juha-Pekka Inkeröinen 3/0

Out: 7 Jarno Tenkula 0/0, 22 Juuso Majava 0/0, 19 Janne Turpeenniemi 6/0, 5 White Simwanza 8/0, 17 Ville Syväjärvi 8/0

Coaches: Mika Lumijärvi & Zeddy Saileti

Prediction: 4-1 home win