Honka - TamU preview

Honka (3rd)– TamU (7th)

Highlights from Honka TV, here 1st half, 2nd half from the right

Honka :1-1-1-3-3-1
TamU: 3-3-3-1-0-1

H2H: 4-2-6

Last game 17.05.09 TamU – Honka 1- 0

Honka have lost only twice this season, away at Inter and away at Tampere after a dismal performance where TamU outplayed Honka completely. Lately Honka have found their form and are probably the best team in the country at the moment. In the top-match against HJK last week Honka controlled the game until the direct red card for defender Sampo Koskinen who is now suspended, and then fought their way to equalize the match with only 10 men. ”I am proud of my players”, says Honka coach Mika Lehkosuo”, ”we played fantastic football until the dismissal of Koskinen and it is sad we did not see what would have happened without it in this show, after all we had the best goal scoring opportunities in the game.”

Midfielder Nicholas Otaru replaced Koskinen at left back and did an outstanding job, it might not be a huge surprise if he continues in this game as a defender.
Sampo Koskinen 13/0 is the only absentee apart from the long-term patients.

Tampere United have improved a lot from the early season, but not yet enough to fight for a spot at top-three. ”We have played way too many draws this season, and against Haka last week we were the much better team on the pitch, but seems that all the penalties in our games are awarded against us,” moans TamU coach Ari Hjelm while talking about last week´s 1-1 draw against Haka, ” everything else was ok, except the last decisive passes, I am not satisfied for where are now”, he continues.

TamU welcomed back important mf Antti Pohja 7/1 from the injury list already for the Haka game, and the health and match fitness of the team is probably at the best level so far this season.

Last season this encounter was perhaps the decisive loss for Honka´s title hopes as they lost 3-4 after a dramatic game, and as they have also lost the first match of the season there is a lot of revenge feeling at the Honka camp on Saturday.


Honka: 1 Tuomas Peltonen 13/0 – 20 Nicolas Otaru 15/2 - 13 Ville Koskimaa 9/1 - 5 Henri Aalto 12/0 - 6 Hermanni Vuorinen 18/11 -14 Jussi Vasara 18/2 - 10 Jami Puustinen 17/4 - 26 Jaakko Lepola 12/4 - 17 Demba Savage 16/2 - 19 Rami Hakanpää 17/1 – 21 Joel Perovuo 18/3

Bench: 27 Konsta Rasimus 1/0, 12 Janne Henriksson (gk) 6/0, 15 Aleksandr Kokko 13/0, 11 Hannu Haarala 9/0, 3 Roope Heilala 13/0, 28 Rasmus Schuller 11/1

Out: 8 Markus Paatelainen 0/0, 7 John Weckström 6/1, 22 Tuomo Turunen 11/1 transferred to IFK Göteborg, 2 Sampo Koskinen 13/0 suspended

Coach: Mika Lehkosuo

TamU: Mikko Kavén (gk) 7/0 - 18 Rafinha 18/3 - 3 Mathias Lindström 18/1 - 7 Jussi Kujala 17/2 - 17 Vili Savolainen 15/0 - 16 Ilari Ruuth 6/0 - 5 Antti Ojanperä 16/1 - 22 Henri Scheweleff 17/1 - 11 Aleksei Kangaskolkka 17/3 - 30 Jari Niemi 17/0 - 10 Tomi Petrescu 7/1

Bench: 21 Jonne Hjelm 18/1, 12 Juha Soukiala (gk) 11/0, 14 Jusu Karvonen 4/0, 9 Juha Pirinen 5/0, 8 Antti Pohja 7/1, 13 Sakari Saarinen 16/0

Out: 2 Toni Järvinen 0/0, 25 Aapo Lappalainen 2/0, 23 Chris James 2/1, 20 Juska Savolainen 15/1 (return to Rosenborg)

Coach: Ari Hjelm

Prediction: Honka are at their best at the moment. Home win looks likely, but TamU have been a tough team for Honka lately. I have to study this further.