Two sides struggling in the Veikkausliiga will meet this weekend with HIFK playing hosts to Ilves at the Bolt Arena in Helsinki with the home side going through one of their worst seasons in history.
The side from Helsinki are sat down in 13th right at the bottom of the table. The club have so registered one win all season long, and with their dismal record of nine goals scored, no side in Finland have netted fewer to this point in the league.
Eilen paistoi ja hymyilytti ☀️😊Tule maanantaina kannustamaan HIFK toiseen peräkkäiseen Veikkausliiga-voittoon! Liput: https://t.co/yOSFHFVPwy#HIFKFotboll #SuomenCup #Veikkausliiga pic.twitter.com/YBs21OPSdE— HIFK Fotboll (@HIFKedustus) June 30, 2022
Eilen paistoi ja hymyilytti ☀️😊Tule maanantaina kannustamaan HIFK toiseen peräkkäiseen Veikkausliiga-voittoon! Liput: https://t.co/yOSFHFVPwy#HIFKFotboll #SuomenCup #Veikkausliiga pic.twitter.com/YBs21OPSdE
What's more, HIFK have conceded 21 times after the 11 games too, and although this isn't the worst in the league, it does leave them as the team with the worst form so far. However, they do have a game in hand ove Lahti, and should they win that, they could move into 11th.
HIFK are also able to boast a bit of form from the Suomen Cup in Finland, and it's just about the only thing they can shout about at this stage in the season. They beat PK-35 in the quarter-finals last time out, and after a victory in the league just prior to this, the club are now on a two-game winning run.
As for Ilves, they are sat down in seventh and are outside of the championship round spots by their head-to-head record and not by goals difference only, having now let in 16 goals and scored only 17 of their own.
The club do have a game in hand, however, and if they win that, they'll find themselves rocket into the championship round places.
These two sides actually only met two weeks ago in the Finland top flight and it was once again a very tight game. However, despite the poor form and position at the foot of the table, HIFK won the game through Jusif Ali in the 87th minute after he scored a tidy finish.
It does, though, remain their only win in the league to this point in what has been a disastrous campaign.
On the other hand, Ilves have four wins in comparison, and it doesn't look good for HIFK heading into this one despite the victory away from home against their opposition here.
Nevertheless, the two are relatively closely matched based on the past few games and Forebet expects a closer game, but for Ilves to get the job done here and for the game to see over 2.5 goals.