HJK take on the visitors Jaro in a Finnish Veikkausliiga match. The match will be played on Wednesday, July 2nd at Bolt Arena (Helsinki).
HJK is undoubtedly the biggest name in Finnish football, boasting 33 league titles, including a dominant run from 2020 to 2023 when they didn’t relinquish first place. However, last season was a clear disappointment. After narrowly trailing KuPS in the regular season, they ultimately slipped to third place by the end of the championship round. Things went from bad to worse after the winter break as they opened the new campaign with three straight defeats, conceding five goals and scoring only twice. However, the team managed to bounce back quickly, and since then, they’ve only dropped points in draws against strong opponents—1-1 away to Inter Turku in early May and a goalless draw with KuPS at the end of spring. Yet, another blow came when they suffered a heavy 0-3 defeat away to the reigning champions, once again underlining the instability caused by the absence of a permanent head coach. Despite recent setbacks, HJK remain formidable at home, winning five of their last six matches in Helsinki. Their defense has tightened considerably, with three clean sheets in their last four home fixtures.
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Jaro, so far, haven’t shown they can make a serious step forward. The Red and Whites were a regular presence in the Finnish top flight at the turn of the century, albeit usually with modest results. But after being relegated in 2015, they struggled to return and finished only 9th in the second division in 2023. However, they made a remarkable surge afterward, finishing second in Ykkönen, which earned them a spot in the promotion playoffs where they beat Lahti 2-0 and 1-0 to secure their return to Veikkausliiga. Life at the top level has proven difficult—they’ve lost more than half of their matches, with wins coming few and far between. They did manage a 2-1 home victory over fellow struggler Oulu in June, offering a brief glimpse of hope. Against KTP, they also managed to score twice but still came away empty-handed after a 2-3 defeat. Defensively, Jaro have struggled significantly, conceding 21 goals in their last nine matches. Moreover, their away form has been poor, with just one point collected from their last four trips.
In the last eight meetings, the capital club has allowed Jaro to take just one draw. The capital giants are overdue for a convincing win, and a home match against the newly promoted side offers the perfect opportunity. The bet is on HJK to win with a -1.5 handicap.
Prediction for the match: HJK to win with -1.5 handicap.
