FF Jaro - HJK preview

Pietarsaari FF Jaro back on top!

Jaro:3-0-3-3-1-1
HJK: 1-1-3-3-0-3

H2H:2-7-10. League Cup 07.02.2009 HJK - Jaro 1-0

FF Jaro has ended twice in a row into a goalless draw, and defender Jens Portin is happy about it,” The defence has played perfectly lately, and scoring goals should be no problem as we have created enough goal chances. There will be more goals soon, I am not least worried. I am expecting a tough game as HJK is always a HJK even that they have had difficulties on the road and we have been strong at home. This is kind of a top-clash as the League is so tight this year.”

It is indeed. Only five points separate Inter at 7th place from leaders Haka and HJK.

Jaro was testing players but in the end decided against both of them mostly due bureaucratic reasons. There are no major absentees, but there is room for other injuries in the team.

HJK had started the game against VPS with stiff feet and found themselves early on two goals down, and the long bus ride to Pietarsaari is exactly the same than it was to Vaasa. ”This time we can not afford to concede three goals and have to be more careful in the defense, ” says one of the VPS-game heroes mf Cheyne Fowler, ” We need to keep the ball and get Jaro tired, exactly like what happened at Vaasa when we finally just ran over them.”

Jukka Sauso is likely to return to central defence after recovering from concussion in the Inter-game, on the injury list there are only Roiha 3/0 fur sure, Taulo 4/0 and Haapala 5/0 are doubtful.

It has been rumoured that Mika Laurikainen, the FF Jaro coach who is not going to continue at Pietarsaari after this season might be heading to HJK for next season.


Jaro: 1 Markus Koljander 11/0 – 2 Jani Tanska 12/1 - 5 Kristian Kojola 12/2 – 7 Marco Matrone 11/1 - 10 Jonas Emet 12/2 – 16 Papa Niang 12/2 – 17 Petter Meyer 11/1 - 18 Mikko Hyyrynen 10/2 – 19 Sebastian Mannström 12/4 - 22 Jens Portin 12/0 – 23 Joonas Laurikainen 12/2

Bench: 6 Janne Vellamo 11/0, 9 Björn-Erik Sundqvist 3/0, 12 Vitali Teles 1/0, 21 Daniel Fellman 7/0, 30 Jesse Öst 0/0, 11 Jani Koivisto 3/1, 3 Heikki Aho 7/0,

Unavailable: 8 Jari Sara 0/0, 13 Jani Sarajärvi 0/0

Coach: Mika Laurikainen


HJK: 1 Wille Wallén 12/0 – 3 Mikko Hauhia 11/0 – 4 Mohamed Kamara 11/2 – 6 Cheyne Fowler 3/1 – 9 Sebastian Sorsa 12/3 – 10 Juho Mäkelä 12/4 - 13 Pyry Kärkkäinen 12/2 – 14 Valeri Popovits 12/3 – 17 Dawda Bah 12/3 – 20 Jukka Raitala 12/0 - 18 Juhani Ojala 2/0

Bench: 2 Mikko Hauhia 2/0, 12 Jani Viander (gk) 0/0, 21 Petri Oravainen 10/0, 26 Johannes Westö 1/0, 27 Mikko Sumusalo 1/0, 28 Nosh A Lody 0/0, 31 Akseli Pelvas 7/2, 32 Sami Salmi 0/0, 16 Jarno Parikka 12/2, 5 Jukka Sauso 11/0

Unavailable:15 Paulus Roiha 3/0, 7 Tuomas Haapala 5/0, 8 Ville Taulo 4/0,


Coach : Antti Muurinen

Prediction: Very interesting game. Jaro was absolutely without a chance against Honka, but home they are a completely different outfit. They will wait back and look for counters, but as HJK might settle for a point here this could turn into something dull. A draw, possibly 0-0. More details more likely tomorrow.