Veikkausliiga week 20 - Honka go clear

Due to the unusually hot London weather, I've not got much time this week to do the usual review. Hopefully normal service will resume next week, along with the usual wind and rain etc... I'll upload videos as they become available.

Just a quick point - I appreciate it's weird having week 20, when some teams have played 18 and 19 games. The remaining fixtures from week one will be played on Weds 31st July.

Honka 1-0 KuPS

A 48th minute goal from Rubén Palazuelos sent Honka clear at the top of the table. Utrecht coach Jan Wouters was present in Tapiola, who was he watching? KuPS coach Esa Pekonen described their performance as 'uneven'. Honka have 39 points from 20 games, two clear of HJK. KuPS are seventh, with 25 points from 20 matches.

Honka score Palazuelos (photo via Leena Koskela)

Highlights of Honka 1-0 KuPS

TPS 2-2 Jaro

TPS went 2-0 up inside an hour, goals from Aleksi Ristola (27') and Petteri Pennanen (59'). But Jaro remembered that they're a good team this year, and a brace from Jonas Emet (61' and 88') gave the visitors a point. TPS remain fifth, with 27 points from 18 games, a GD of +2. Jaro are fourth, 27 points from 19 matches, GD +6.

TPS doubling up on Shahdon Winchester

 
Highlights of TPS 2-2 Jaro

Lahti 2-1 IFK Mariehamn

Sunday's televised game saw lots of chances, but it was Lahti who scored the vital ones. They took the lead through Vini Dantas (19'), but Mariehamn hit the bar twice through Adlam and Bright. Bright then equalised on 69 minutes, before Hertsi scored a winner (75'). Lahti remain 11th, with 21pts from 19 games, but are only one point behind Inter. IFK Mariehamn are 8th, with 25 points from 20 matches.

Vini Dantas happy with his goal (photo via ESS)

Highlights of Lahti 2-1 IFK Mariehamn

VPS 4-1 MYPA

Friday night in Vaasa looked like being a drama - MYPA scored in the first half, totally against the run of play, the goal from Olajide Williams (19'). But VPS fought back in the second half, goals from Koskimaa (65'), Kerr (75') and two from captain Sebastian Strandvall (84 and 90') meant VPS remain on the podium. They are third, with 32 points from 19 matches. MYPA are sixth, 26 points from 19 games.

Happy VPS skipper Strandvall (photo via Arash Matin)

Highlights of VPS 4-1 MYPA

JJK 2-0 Inter

It's been a shocking 2013 for both clubs. But at least JJK had a good Sunday - a penalty from Poutiainen (48') and a goal from substitute Hilska (88') mean JJK remain in touch with Lahti, five points behind Inter and with a game in hand. Inter have won one league match in ten, and have only scored three goals. JJK are bottom, but have 17 points from 19 games. Inter are tenth, with 22 points from 20 matches.

Mikko Innanen keeps Aspegren at bay (photo via Tuomas Sarparanta)

Highlights of that game can be found here, via the KSML website.

RoPS 0-0 HJK

RoPS had kept clean sheets in 6 of their last 8 home league games. They made it 7 games with a resolute display, helped by a tepid HJK who had one eye on Tuesday's Champions League match against Kalju in Estonia. RoPS are ninth, with 23 points from 20 games. HJK drop to second, 37 points from 19 games, two points behind Honka.

Maanoja foils Forssell (photo via Jussi Leinonen)

Highlights of RoPS 0-0 HJK

Introducing Lech Poznań - Honka's European opponents

Honka open their Europa League campaign this week in the second qualifying round, where they meet Polish club Lech Poznań - runners up in last year's Ekstraklasa (Polish top division). The first leg in Finland, will be played on Thursday 18th July. The return leg in Poland will be played on Thursday 25th July.

Friend of the site Ryan Hubbard, founder of the superb EKSTRAKLASAreview website, has written a fine preview of Honka's opponents for us to read before (during and after!) the tie. He has also hosted a short preview of Honka that I wrote for his site, have a look here.

Welcome to Manchester Poznań

After a sluggish start to to 2012/13 season, perennial challengers picked themselves up quickly to battle their greatest enemies Legia Warszawa for the Polish Ekstraklasa title. With around a month of the season remaining the Kolejorz had already guaranteed at least a European spot, however a 1-0 Matchday 28 defeat in Warsaw effectively handed the title to their rivals.

With their runners-up spot confirmed with a few games to spare, Lech enter European competition for the fifth time in the last six years - only their fifth-placed finish in 2010/11 preventing them from taking part the following season. Whilst their domestic season wasn't the greatest in 2010/11, they will be aiming to replicate their Europa League campaign from that year. On their way to a last-32 defeat to eventual finalists Braga, they managed fantastic wins against both Red Bull Salzburg and Manchester City, whilst twice holding Juventus to a draw.

STRENGTHS

By far the strongest part of the current Lech Poznań team is their vast midfield. With coach Mariusz Rumak expected to field five men across the middle, they can be difficult to break down whilst able to create a lot of chances both for themselves and the strikers.

With Hungarian Gergo Lovrencsics and Finnish Kasper Hämäläinen netting ten between them last term, Lech have strengthened their attacking prowess with the addition of Zagłębie Lubin winger Szymon Pawłowski - a more than adequate replacement for Aleksander Tonev, who departed for Aston Villa.

Whilst defensive midfield pair Rafał Murawski and Łukasz Trałka may not have had their strongest season, they are still a very formidable pair - both finding their way into Polish national squads over the last eighteen months.  Rumak also has the option to include Polish youth prodigy Karol Linetty in his middle five - the eighteen year-old led the Polish U17 side to third-place in last year's European Championships.

Finland international Kasper Hämäläinen

WEAKNESSES

The problem for Lech is that their strikers have been known to struggle when it comes to converting chances. Whilst Łukasz Teodorczyk scored a hatful in autumn at Polonia Warszawa, his winter move didn't quite yield the same results. In the capital, Teodorczyk played the role of a support striker excellently - grabbing almost as many assists as he did goals. However since his move to Poznań, he has been played in a lone striker role - and the difference showed. But after scoring his first Lech goal late in the season, we have seen more glimpses of the Teodorczyk which earned a call-up to the Polish National team. A hat-trick in a friendly against Danish side FC Nordsjaelland just last week confirming that "Teo" hasn't lost his abilities.

Whilst Teodorczyk's first goal in the blue shirt brought a much needed confidence boost, his fellow striker Bartosz Ślusarski needs more than confidence. Despite netting __ league goals last term, he was widely thought of as one of the weakest strikers in the league. With the amount of chances both self-created and handed to him, Ślusarski could have scored many more, and the signing of Teodorczyk only went to show that Ślusarski's goal record alone wasn't enough for Mariusz Rumak.

INJURIES

Whilst Lech have been struggling to field a full side during their pre-season friendlies, they can now count on the return of six players for the tie with Honka. Along with the aforementioned Ślusarski and Linetty, Kebba Ceesay, Tomasz Kędziora, Patryk Wolski and Szymon Pawłowski should all be available for the first leg.

However there are still a few doubts in the Kolejorz camp; Barry Douglas, Rafał Murawski and Luis Henriquez all look set to miss at least one of the two meetings.

POSSIBLE LINE-UP

Jasmin Burić 

Hubert Wołąkiewicz, Marcin Kamiński, Manuel Arboleda, Kebba Ceesay

 Łukasz Trałka, Mateusz Możdżeń 

Gergo Lovrencsics, Kasper Hämäläinen, Szymon Pawłowski

Łukasz Teodorczyk