KuPS take on the visitors Ilves in Finnish Veikkausliga match. The match will be played on Saturday, June 14th at Vare Areena (Kuopio).
KuPS determined to maintain top position. The Canaries are one of Finland’s most storied clubs. After 2019, they often found themselves narrowly edged out by stronger contenders — but not last season, when they outperformed HJK in the regular season and then held off Ilves in the championship round to claim the title. This year, they looked set to defend their crown early, starting strong with a draw against Turku followed by a string of victories. However, their form dipped sharply toward the end of spring: a heavy 0-3 loss to Ilves was followed by goalless games — a 0-2 home defeat to VPS and a 0-0 draw at HJK. Despite the slump, KuPS are still top of the table — at least for now. The international break arrived at the perfect time, allowing them to regroup, rest, and address recent attacking issues.
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Ilves have only one Finnish title to their name, earned back in 1983, but they’ve lifted the Finnish Cup multiple times — including in 2019 and 2023. They came close to league glory last year, finishing third in the regular season and pushing KuPS hard in the championship round before falling just two points short. They’ve been competitive again this year, but consistency is still a concern. Their recent form has been erratic, alternating wins with losses — including a rough stretch from late April to mid-May where they lost three out of four games. Even after a 2-0 away win at Gnistan, they remain third in the standings with 19 points from 10 matches. Worse yet, they trail KuPS and second-place Inter — and the latter still have a game in hand.
KuPS have won each of the last three meetings with Ilves. The reigning champions are expected to bounce back here. Back KuPS to secure a home win over their persistent challengers.
Prediction for the match: KuPS to win with 0.0 handicap.
