Monday lunchtime brings us action from the Finnish Veikkausliiga with 3rd placed Inter Turku playing host to mid-table HIFK at the Veritas Stadion with both teams eager to preserve their unbeaten status at home and away respectively.
Inter Turku were in action in midweek when they travelled to Hungary for their 2nd leg clash with Puskas Academy in the 1st qualifying round of the Europa Conference League, but this ended in another disappointment for the Finnish outfit as they were handed a 2-0 loss and an early exit from the competition.
Interin eurotaival päättyy tältä erää tähän. Sinimustat hallitsivat varsinkin toisella puoliajalla peliä, mutta kotijoukkue oli tehokkaampi paikoissaan ja jatkaa seuraavalle kierrokselle yhteistuloksella 3-1.#fcinterturku #puskasakademia #ueclfi #conferenceleague #uefa pic.twitter.com/mVt6kVwFWO— FC Inter Turku (@FCInterTurku) July 15, 2021
Interin eurotaival päättyy tältä erää tähän. Sinimustat hallitsivat varsinkin toisella puoliajalla peliä, mutta kotijoukkue oli tehokkaampi paikoissaan ja jatkaa seuraavalle kierrokselle yhteistuloksella 3-1.#fcinterturku #puskasakademia #ueclfi #conferenceleague #uefa pic.twitter.com/mVt6kVwFWO
That’s now four games without a win in all competitions for Inter Turku who had previously strung together an impressive five-match winning streak, but who have since slumped to just one further win out of their subsequent six matches overall.
On the domestic front though, Inter Turku continue to impress at home where they’ve won five of their opening six matches to date along with keeping seven clean sheets in their last 10 home games in the Veikkausliiga as well.
HIFK dropped out of the top six of the Veikkausliiga and down to 7th place following four matches without a win in the Finnish top flight which includes defeats to HJK and Lahti, both of which were on home soil at their Bolt Arena.
However, in contrast to their Monday lunchtime host’s, Inter Turku, the majority of HIFK’s success so far in this season’s Veikkausliiga campaign has been achieved on the road, winning two and drawing three of their five away matches to date this term.
Although results at home have been a little ‘hit-or-miss’ with HIFK winning 2, drawing 1 and losing 3 so far in this Finnish top flight campaign, the visitors still remain unbeaten on their travels along with conceding just two goals on the road this season.
This is a refreshing change from the results away from home at the end of last season which saw HIFK lose their last four away gams on the trot but this term the visitors have made a better fist of things as they’ve picked up valuable points in draws at SJK, Lahti and Mariehamn along with victories gained at Oulu and KTP.
In addition, HIFK have kept three clean sheets in their five away games and they are expected to put up stubborn resistance again on Monday.
Inter Turku should win but a low-scoring game looks to be on the cards here.