HJK take on the visitors Inter Turku in the round 18 match of Finnish Veikkausliiga. The match will be played on Monday, August 4th at Bolt Arena (Helsinki).
HJK continue to disappoint. The Club are undoubtedly the strongest football project in Finland, having enjoyed success in European competitions (albeit modest by continental standards) and long-time dominance domestically — their record of 33 league titles says it all. They reclaimed the top spot in 2020 and held onto it until 2023… only to slump to a third-place finish last season with no real shot at another title. The current campaign hasn't brought much improvement either, with inconsistent form frustrating fans and pundits alike. Although they managed a 4-2 away win over Gnistan last round, it hardly erased doubts. They also crashed out of the Europa Conference League qualifiers — after a 0-0 away draw with Arda, they conceded a 2-2 home result and lost on penalties. HJK's defense in particular has looked shaky, conceding goals in bunches against even mid-table sides.
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Inter Turku were clearly inspired by their namesake from Milan, though they've never quite matched the sporting pedigree. They've remained in the top flight consistently, but aside from one league title in 2008 and a couple of cup wins — the last in 2018 — there hasn't been much silverware. Last season, they found themselves battling in the relegation group, and though they won it and reached the playoff for a European spot, they were eliminated immediately. This year, however, the team has improved significantly in both performance and consistency. They’ve emerged as serious contenders alongside Ilves and possibly KuPS in the race for the championship. Their recent 4-1 dismantling of SJK showcased their attacking potential and growing confidence.
After three consecutive wins for HJK, the teams played out two consecutive draws this spring — once in the league and once in the cup. A tightly contested match is expected in Helsinki. But with the league leaders in strong form, backing the visitors with a “draw no bet” (0 handicap) looks like the smart play.
Prediction for the match: Inter Turku to win with 0.0 handicap.
