MIFK - VPS preview

A home win, if they just would have some strikers available..

MIFK:1-3-3-1-3-1
VPS:3-3-3-3-3-0

H2H: 3-2-3. 21.03.2009 League Cup MIFK – VPS 3-1.

MIFK has rested for 1.5 weeks while VPS have played twice and will need to take the difficult trip to Mariehamn. Both teams are in excellent form, MIFK has not yet lost at home and only once in the League, while VPS was on a winning streak of five wins before losing to HJK dramatically 3-4.

A result that neither the team nor the manager was happy about and their reaction has been to blame the referee but if you give out a two-goal lead twice in the game there is perhaps a time to look at the mirror too?

Anttilainen 7/1 and Ingves 11/1 are doubtful for the home side, their absence would weaken the offence significantly, ” ”We have trained well though we have not been able to use our own stadium because it was reserved to the Independent Islands Games. Getting at least one of those players mentioned above in the starting line-up would be massive, but we will not know until Sunday, ” says Pekka Lyyski, MIFK coach.

MIFK is getting some unexpected media coverage lately, FIFA Futbol Mundial is creating a show on the island about the team, World Soccer is having a reporter out there and Patrik Rikama was elected the 4th best player of the week, a quote saying that ”Patrik Rikama (IFK Mariehamn - Finland) - Another clean sheet for the island club as they rise up the Finnish league table, and the full-back was much to thank. ”

Jani Lyyski, VPS central-defender returns to the island for the first time after leason´s transfer from MIFK, but his knowledge of the team is not much of a use as MIFK has changed almost completely from last season and there are only two players left in the starting eleven.

VPS have a problem in front of the goal as they need to field Henrik Moisander 4/0 who seems to totally have lost his confidence and there is no trust for him in the defence either. Except 1st choice gk Henri Sillanpää 10/0 VPS have a full squad to choose from.

MIFK : 29 Gustav Långbacka 12/0 - 24 Mate Dujilo 10/1- 6 Marcus Olofsson 11/1 – 22 Alexandros Pappas 11/0 – 23 Paulus Arajuuri 10/1 – 8 Kenneth Gustavsson 10/0 - 9 Ante Simunac 10/2 – 10 Tamás Gruborovics 12/4 – 11 Mika Niskala 12/1 – 30 Sasha Anttilainen 7/1 - 26 Wilhelm Ingves 11/1

Bench: 15 Amos Ekhalie 5/0, 24 Mate Dujilo 10/1, 4 Johan Carlsson 9/0, 1 Willis Ochieng (gk) 0/0, 14 Arsim Gashi 11/1

Unavailable: 2 Voloshyn 6/0, 18 Dmytro Pronevych 2/0 ,(suspended), 5 Peter Blomberg 0/0 (retired)

Coach : Pekka Lyyski


VPS: 12 Henrik Moisander (gk) 4/0 - 8 Jani Lyyski 12/1 – 11 Toni Hahto 11/0 – 16 Jyrki Saranpää 12/1 – 19 Jan Berg 12/0 – 3 Lawrence Smith 8/1 – 7 Tero Koskela 11/1 – 14 Jens Nygård 12/3 - 22 Tony Björk 12/1 - 10 Antonio Inutile 11/3 – 23 Jyri Hietaharju 12/1

Bench: 4 Jussi Äijälä 9/0, 6 Petteri Forsell 8/1, 9 Jussi Aalto 5/1, 20 Rikard Lindroos 8/1, 25 Pekka Kainu 7/0

Unavailable: 2 Jan Ahlvik 0/0, 24 Benjamin Slotte 0/0, 1 Henri Sillanpää 10/0

Coaches: Juha Reini & Petri Vuorinen

Prediction:Looks like a home win to me with a possible cover for 0-0. Can not see VPS scoring at Wiklöf Arena. more detailed analysis tomorrow.