Team News VPS: strikers Valtter Laaksonen and Antonio Inutile doubful, important mf Hietaharju will be out for a long time.
Long-term injuries for Tuuri and Pope but they make no difference and would not start in any case.
KuPS have Williams suspended but he is not important as long other strikers are available. Miikka Turunen is a long-term injured, and if gk Vilmunen is sidelined he is well replaced by Joonas Pöntinen who in my opinion shoud be the first choice keeper.
VPS won IFK away, and that is the only good news so far at Vaasa. Another light in the tunnel was the away match at TPS where they stole a point with a 1-1 draw, but the home matches have been poor and also away at Jaro in the important derby they were helpless, and by losing only 3-2 gives a wrong image of the match. Midfield is the weak point, especially going forward, and if Pekka Kainu and Arttu Seppälä are the only options for attack then KuPS should not have too many worries. Another attacking option is Kim Böling, but he is only 18 and has only experience from Kakkonen level and will not a key figure this season. Veikkausliiga website describe him as "extremely promising” but i am not sharing their optimism.
KuPS are on top of the table if they win today. Anyone who saw them got beaten badly in the first round 0-5 at home vs HJK would not easily believe it, but they have played well and won 3 and drawn once ever since, also winning 2 cup matches vs. JJK and JIPPO. KuPS have an away cup match at Savo derby at MP on Thursday, but all eyes should be set on this league match first. KuPS are not that good that they could afford to go to a match without a 100 % concentration.
The KuPS fixture list has been favourable and they have already played four home games however, so it is safe to say that they will not end up anywhere near the top after the season is finished but rather fight for survival along with most of the teams, and with the home advantage this match could turn out to be an even one.
Price limits offered only - and way ahead on time - for Newsletter customers.
Permanence is not the excellence of Veikkausliiga teams, especially not of KuPS. VPS was head and shoulders above them. They had no chance to gain three points or even one point. Shit happens, life goes on.
VastaaPoista