KuPS - FC Lahti

KuPS: 0-0-0-0-3-0 -------------- Lahti:1-0-0-3-1-1

H2H:2-2-13. League 23.04.2009 Lahti – KuPS 1-0


EDIT:FT 1-1

KuPS comes into the game with rested feet while FC Lahti returns almost straight away from their european trip at Slovenia. Lahti lost 1-0 at Gorica in their 2nd ql-round of the Europe League are in the middle of lots of games and minor injuries. For Lahti KuPS is hardly the ideal away trip as it is quite a long bus ride.

KuPS played a decent game against HJK and were almost the better of the teams in the first half, then experience and skill took over and HJK cruised to an undeserved 0-3 victory. KuPS – coach Esa Pekonen stresses the importance of concentration throughout the whole game;” everyone must fill their role for the whole 90 minutes and keep moving and helping one another. We are probably not the best team in the League and can not give a handicap for the other team by not working 100 % . If our players do not move and work without the ball, we have no chance.”

Lahti have had difficult times result-wise lately, but the 1-1 draw against Honka was a glimmer of hope,especially when it was played without several 1st choices and the late equalizer by sub Jussi Länsitalo helps Lahti with their confidence.


There are several Lahti players with minor injuries and who are doubtful for this game, but the only ones missing for sure are Jukka Veltheim, who is out for the rest of the season and suspended defender Toni Huuhka 11/1. Some players might be rested ahead of the game against Gorica, thus Lahti line-up is a big mystery but it is probably not the best possible.

ND Gorica is the big event for Lahti, and the trip to Kuopio might be much more difficult than predicted as it is a let-down game between two more important games.

KuPS: 1 Ville Iiskola 12/0 – 8 Tero Taipale 14/0 – 9 Balazs Balogh 10/1- 3 Janne Reinikainen 13/0 - 4 Patrik Turunen 10/0 – 15 Ollo 10/0 – 11 Pele Koljonen 11/1 – 10 Ilja Venäläinen 12/3 - 13 Betim Aliju 9/0 - 27 Segun Ikudehinbu 2/0 - 7 Miikka Turunen 12/2

Bench: 17 Jussi Kolari 0/0, 23 Jussi-Pekka Savolainen 11/0, 20 Miikka Ilo 13/0, 12 Joonas Pöntinen (gk) 2/0, 24 Atte Hoivala 5/0, 6 Tuomas Kuparinen 10/0

Out: 5 Jani Hartikainen 10/0 for the rest of the season, 20, 21 Jesse Miettinen 0/0, 26 Dickson Nwakaeme 1/1, 2 Joni Nissinen 1/0

Coach : Esa Pekonen


FC Lahti: 1 Viktor Szentpeteri 9/0 –15 Jukka Vanninen 12/0 – 3 Henri Toivomäki 14/0 - 4 Janne Moilanen 5/0 – 6 Kalle Eerola 11/0 - 8 Mohamed Fofana 13/3 - 20 Jonne Kemppinen 12/2 – 11 Drilon Shala 14/5 – 14 Konsta Hietanen 14/0 – 19 Riku Heini 9/0 - 17 Eero Korte 14/2

Bench: 10 Jari Litmanen 9/0, 21 Kaarlo Rantanen 4/0, 22 Juha Tuomi (gk) 5/0, 13 Jussi Länsitalo 6/2, 16 Jussi Heikkinen 2/0, 9 Rafael 12/2

Unavailable: 7 Jukka Veltheim 2/0 for the rest of the season, 2 Heikki Haara 13/1, 12 Toni Huuhka 11/1

Coach : Ilkka Mäkelä

The best prices of KuPS success have already been eaten up. More thorough betting analysis later.

The prices have pretty much settled now, no news and no new bets to my early KuPS + 0,5 @ 2.00