Gnistan take on the visitors HJK in the round 13 match of Finnish Veikkausliiga. The match will be played on Wednesday, June 12th at Mustapekka Areena (Helsinki).
Gnistan are having its first season at this level. Kipinä marked their centenary by making their debut in the top division of Finnish football. Last season, the team finished second in the Ykkönen (the second tier of Finnish football), earning the chance to compete for a spot in the elite division. In the first round of the playoffs, they eliminated SJK Academy, but then lost to Mariehamn—3-0 away after a 0-3 home defeat. However, with the bankruptcy of Honka, a spot opened up, and the playoff runner-up, Gnistan, took their place. So far, the newcomer has not only managed to hold its own but has also performed quite well, averaging more than a point per game and frequently winning. For example, they started the summer with a 2-1 home victory against Lahti. Although they narrowly lost to Ekenäs, it was just a 0-1 defeat.
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HJK has been crowned champions of Finland 33 times. They had consistently held the top spot in the Veikkausliiga since 2020 and naturally aimed to continue their dominance in the new season. However, by the end of May, they had to part ways with Ferran Sibila and brought back Toni Koskela. Koskela had been called upon after the dismissal of Koskela in 2023 and had led the team to their most recent championship, also reaching the group stage of the Conference League. The reason for this managerial change is clear: the favorite team won less than half of their matches and was lingering in the middle of the league table. Nevertheless, after the appointment of the new-old coach, they ended the spring with a 0-1 defeat at Oulu. However, they managed to thrash potential competitor SJK 4-1 at home.
The teams have already met twice this season. First, in the League Cup in February, the Helsinki giants won 2-1. Later, in May, in a league match, Klubi secured 3 points with a single goal by Lingman in the 13th minute of the game. Despite their issues, the visitors are far more experienced. We recommend betting on a victory for the visitors from Helsinki.
Prediction for the match: HJK to win.
