IFK Mariehamn - TPS Turku preview

IFK Mariehamn (4th) – TPS (1st)

MIFK:1-1-1-1-3-3
TPS: 3-1-1-3-3-3

H2H:4-3-4

Last game:24.05.09 TPS – MIFK 0-0

It was 15 games ago since TPS lost and also IFK Mariehamn are on an unbeaten run of 13 games. No wonder both teams are fighting for the championship, TPS 5 points ahead of IFK who have been less effective in front of the goal and have had had to settle to a low-scoring draw more often. The first encounter of the season at Turku was unsurprisingly goalless and led to TPS coach demanding for goals from his troops, a challenge they have duly responded to.

IFK Mariehamn managed to cut short their run of successive draws and have won now twice in the row, there have been goals from all departments and the absence of injured mf Mika Niskala 16/1 and striker Arsim Gashi 17/1 should not be crucial for their hopes of glory, not at least as long their defense is the tightest in the league.

TPS got both good and bad news this week concerning their talismanic English midfielder Wayne Brown 19/6. He already flew back to London to join his team Fulham as his loan contract with TPS expired as planned, only to be allowed to return after making the loan to last until the end of season and he should be back with TPS already on Saturday at Mariehamn. TPS have been one of the luckiest teams with injuries, and the only long-term patient Mika Ääritalo who is still not yet 100 % fit has showed to possess some super-sub qualities with his speed and experience and has been a dangerous weapon against already tired defenders.

No injury worries for TPS. Simo Valakari 7/0 has been out for a long time but not missed.

MIFK : 29 Gustav Långbacka 19/0 - 24 Mate Dujilo 15/1 - 6 Marcus Olofsson 18/3 – 22 Alexandros Pappas 18/0 – 23 Paulus Arajuuri 17/1 – 8 Kenneth Gustavsson 16/2 - 9 Ante Simunac 16/3 – 10 Tamás Gruborovics 19/5 – 15 Amos Ekhalie 9/0 – 30 Sasha Anttilainen 9/1- 26 Wilhelm Ingves 17/3
Bench: 1 Willis Ochieng (gk) 1/0, 2 Dmytro Voloshyn 8/0, 4 Johan Carlsson 15/0, 18 Dmytro Pronevych 2/0
Unavailable:11 Mika Niskala 16/1 injured, 14 Arsim Gashi 17/1 suspended

Coach : Pekka Lyyski


TPS: 12 Jukka Lehtovaara 18/0 – 2 Iiro Aalto 18/0 – 18 Chris Cleaver 15/0 - 6 Jaakko Nyberg 18/2 - 7 Sami Rähmönen 19/0 – 8 Jarno Heinikangas 19/0 – 9 Mikko Manninen 18/0 – 14 Kasper Hämäläinen 18/0 – 28 Mikko Paatelainen 19/4 – 20 Babatunde Wusu 18/6 - 21 Wayne Brown 19/6

Bench: 3 Kalle Mäkinen 0/0, 4 Igor Jovanovic 2/0, 11 Mika Ääritalo 9/3, 17 Roope Riski 0/0, 29 Yll Hoxha 7/0, 23 Juho Lähde 0/0, 24 Jani Aaltonen 0/0, 25 Santeri Mäkinen 0/0, 27 Tuomas Markkula 0/0, 31 Alban Ferati 0/0, 1 Jani Tuomala (gk) 1/0, 10 Riku Riski 17/4

Out:13 Samu-Petteri Mäkelä 8/0 (return to PoPa), 5 Simo Valakari 7/0, 9 Patrik Lomski 6/0 (loan to KPV), 22 Jesse Saarinen 0/0 (loan to KPV)


Coach: Pasi Rautiainen

Prediction: 0-0. Value in home win 0 at 2.12, but looks like a draw to me. Unfortunately with these odds it can not be covered with asian handicaps.