TPS - KuPS preview

TPS (2) – KuPS (12)

TPS: 3-3-3-1-3-0
KuPS: 1-3-3-0-3-3

H2H:8-4-3
Last game in Veikkausliiga: 28.05.09 KuPS – TPS 0-3

TPS faced some problems last round after a long unbeaten run when losing to in-form Jaro 1-0 away. KuPS continued their good performances and came home from MYPA with a 2-1 away win. TPS dropped to second place in the league but are still fighting of the title along with HJK and Honka. KuPS form has been so good that they are likely to get out any relegation trouble, and there is still the cup to fight for. In the quarter-finals they will host Inter the 1st October.

TPS key player Wayne Brown 22/7 got slightly injured against Jaro and was substituted and now remains a questionmark, his absence would hurt the balance of team hugely. Jaakko Nyberg 19/2 returns to the dfense after suspension.

KuPS was not that convincing against MYPA as it has been at home, but at this point all they care about is collecting enough points for survival. Striker Pele Koljonen is out because of suspension, but otherwise the full team is available. A lot of emphasis has been put on the new signings KuPS have made, but the most significant factor in their survival has been the coach Esa Pekonen who took charge of the team in the summer and starting building the team through defense and started gaining them self-confidence via improved results, at today´s KuPS there are no weak links.


TPS: 12 Jukka Lehtovaara 21/0 – 2 Iiro Aalto 21/0 – 34 Jussi Kujala 21/3 - 6 Jaakko Nyberg 19/2 - 7 Sami Rähmönen 22/0 – 8 Jarno Heinikangas 22/0 – 9 Mikko Manninen 21/1 – 14 Kasper Hämäläinen 21/0 – 28 Mikko Paatelainen 22/6 – 20 Babatunde Wusu 21/7 - 21 Wayne Brown 22/7

Bench: 3 Kalle Mäkinen 0/0, 11 Mika Ääritalo 12/3, 17 Roope Riski 0/0, 29 Yll Hoxha 8/0, 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 19/4, 18 Chris Cleaver 18/0, 4 Igor Jovanovic 5/0

Out: 5 Simo Valakari 7/0

Coach: Pasi Rautiainen


KuPS: 1 Ville Iiskola 19/0 – 8 Tero Taipale 22/0 – 20 Miikka Ilo 21/3 - 9 Balazs Balogh 16/1 - 23 Jussi-Pekka Savolainen 17/0 – 6 Tuomas Kuparinen 16/1 – 28 Raphael Udah 6/0 – 10 Ilja Venäläinen 20/6 - 15 Ollo 17/2 - 7 Miikka Turunen 20/2 - 26 Dickson Nwakaeme 7/3

Bench: 17 Jussi Kolari 0/0, 24 Atte Hoivala 10/0, 22 Jyrki Juvonen 1/0, 13 Betim Aliju 9/0, 27 Segun Ikudehinbu 7/0, 12 Joonas Pöntinen (gk) 4/0, 3 Janne Reinikainen 17/0, 18 Ville Strandman 5/0, 19 Juho Karppinen 3/2

Out: 5 Jani Hartikainen 10/0 for the rest of the season, 21 Jesse Miettinen 0/0, 2 Joni Nissinen 1/0, 4 Patrik Turunen 14/0, 11 Pele Koljonen 18/5 suspended

Coach: Esa Pekonen

Betting: A serious test for both teams. Under normal circunstances KuPS would not even dream of getting anything out of this, but they are in form and full of self-confidence, and TPS showed to be humans after all and were brought back to earth at Jaro. They are not a super team, and are under pressure. KuPS with a big handicap is my choice.