RoPS – KuPS
The Finnish Veikkausliiga is on a winter break until April but the League Cup is going on in the meantime. Last season’s Veikkausliiga runner up RoPS started their cup campaign with a 0-0 draw against VPS in a game they dominated and should have won. A missed penalty, a couple of shots in the woodwork and a man of the match performance by VPS keeper Juuso Kevari left the Rovaniemi club goalless however. Last season’s top scorer Aleksandr Kokko nearly moved to Swiss side St. Gallen in the transfer window but the deal broke down and Kokko now looks to stay at least until the summer. Good news for the home side and facing a very young KuPS squad tonight, we believe all three points will stay with in Rovaniemi.
Team news: Teams are allowed to use two trialists per game in the League Cup and RoPS will test Dynamo Moscow forward Artem Katashevski as well as American Shane Malcolm tonight. Midfielder Janne Saksela is out injured but Nganbe Nganbe and Ville Saxman could feature after recovering from knocks.
KuPS were lucky to earn a draw in their first cup match at home to last year’s league winners SJK. SJK left several of their best players at home but still dominated so we shouldn’t take too much note of the result. The away side have made some interesting, yet unproved, signings in Austrian goalkeeper Johannes Kreidl as well as Babacar Diallo, Gbolahan Salami and Azubuike Eswuekwe with the latter three unable to feature tonight. Former FC Lahti striker Mika Ääritalo is also new in the squad and is likely to play.
Team news: New signing Kreidl will start between the sticks and the visitors have a very youthful squad overall. Some of the more experienced players are missing and KuPS are likely to struggle against a more experienced home side.
Date & Time: 4 Feb 2016 – 17.00 CET
League: Liiga Cup (Finland)
Match: RoPS – KuPS
Pick 1: RoPS to win
Highest Odds: 2.00 @ betfair
Stake: 15 EUR
Rating: 2/5
Result: 2-0, bet won!