TamU - Haka preview

TamU: 0-3-3-3-1-0
Haka: 1-3-0-0-1-0

H2H:7-6-6

Last game 17.05.2009 Haka - TamU 1-0

Mikko Kavén, the Tampere United goalie kept his net empty for almost 6 whole games after his return, but the TPS penalty on the 93rd minute of the game was too much even for him to handle. TamU have slowly found their act together, and as the other top teams also lose points quite oftern TamU is still competing for top spots after a disastreous start of the season. Now when the injury worries are easing up they have other reasons for absentees, Juska Savolainen returns to Rosenborg after his loan spell and is probably coming back after the negotiations in Norway, but will not play against Haka in this derby for sure, and Sakari Saarinen is suspended.

Haka lost embarrissingly to JJK at home 2-4, a result which is is likely to make coach Olli Huttunen slightly nervous for his own future. Not only because of the result but also for the performance which was plain horror. Haka was better in no section of the pitch, they have not won for 4 games and trip to nearby Tampere is probably the toughest one they can think of.

There have been fever and flu in the Haka camp and while Hynynen and Joenmäki on the recovery there are other players who are about the get sick. The only absentee for sure is important defender Diego Corpache who will miss rest of the season due injury.



TamU: Mikko Kavén (gk) 6/0 - 18 Rafinha 17/3 - 3 Mathias Lindström 17/1 - 7 Jussi Kujala 16/1 - 17 Vili Savolainen 14/0 - 16 Ilari Ruuth 4/0 - 5 Antti Ojanperä 15/1 - 22 Henri Scheweleff 16/1 - 11 Aleksei Kangaskolkka 16/3 - 30 Jari Niemi 16/0 - 10 Tomi Petrescu 6/1

Bench: 21 Jonne Hjelm 17/1, 12 Juha Soukiala (gk) 11/0, 14 Jusu Karvonen 3/0, 9 Juha Pirinen 5/0

Out: 2 Toni Järvinen 0/0, 25 Aapo Lappalainen 2/0, 8 Antti Pohja 7/1, 23 Chris James 2/1, 13 Sakari Saarinen 16/0 (suspended), 20 Juska Savolainen 15/1 (return to Rosenborg)

Coach: Ari Hjelm



Haka: 1 Janne Korhonen 17/0 - 20 Sami Ristilä 13/2 - 3 Petri Viljanen 11/0 - 21 Pietari Holopainen 13/5 - 22 Jarno Mattila 17/1 - 6 Sebastian Strandvall 17/4 - 7 Mikko Innanen 17/2 - 11 Antti Hynynen 15/4 - 10 Mika Mäkitalo 16/2 - 8 Jani Kauppila 17/0 - 9 Niko Ikävalko 14/3

Bench: 12 Saku Pesonen (gk) 0/0, 18 Jari Nikkilä 15/0, 4 Markus Joenmäki 7/0, 41 Valeri Minkenen 7/0

Out: 5 Kalle Parviainen 0/0, 15 Nicolas Kivistö 6/0, 28 Hans Denissen 5/0 (freed from contract), 2 Diego Corpache 15/1, 16 Jani Bäckman 8/1 returned to FC Honka

Coach: Olli Huttunen


prediction: TamU is at least 50 % favourite to win, but it is difficult to find a bet atm. More tomorrow