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Finland’s Veikkausliiga kicks off this week with the first round of fixtures. HJK won the 2022 edition of the Veikkausliiga title. KuPS and Honka weren’t far off the top team, and they will hope to battle for the championship again this season.
HJK – FC Honka
HJK topped the regular season table with 49 points last season, two more than KuPS. These teams played three times last season, with HJK winning all three games versus Honka.
FC Honka ended the regular season in third place, eight points off HJK. The visitors defeated HJK just once in their last six attempts.
HJK won all three meetings last season with FC Honka. Last season, HJK posted a home record of eight wins, one draw, and two defeats. HJK had a home-goal difference of +7.
- In their last 14 games in Veikkausliiga, HJK Helsinki have recorded 12 undefeated encounters.
- FC Honka Espoo have managed to win just 1 of their last 6 games against HJK Helsinki in Veikkausliiga.
- HJK Helsinki have no losses in 6 of their 7 most recent encounters with FC Honka Espoo (Veikkausliiga).
- Both teams have scored in 5 of FC Honka Espoo’s last 6 fixtures in the league.
- Prediction: HJK Helsinki
KTP – AC Oulu
KTP and AC Oulu will meet for the first time in the Veikkausliiga since 2021 to kick off the season. AC Oulu are unbeaten in five of their last six games against KTP.
AC Oulu finished last season’s Veikkausliiga in seventh place in the 12-team league. They posted an away record of 4W-2D-5L.
KTP earned promotion back to the Finnish top flight for this season. The team lost 13 of its last 14 Veikkausliiga games. Can they restart life in the top flight strongly?
- FC KTP have lost just 2 of their last 6 matches in all competitions.
- The team of AC Oulu managed to score at least one goal in all their last 14 away matches in Veikkausliiga.
- FC KTP have managed to win just 1 of their last head-to-head encounters with AC Oulu.
- AC Oulu have 2 straight loses at home in their last 6 fixtures in the league.
- Prediction: AC Oulu
KuPS – Inter Turku
KuPS scored the most goals (36) and conceded the fewest (16) in the Bundesliga last season. However, the Canaries couldn’t win the Veikkausliiga title. KuPS were the league’s best home team last term, with eight wins, three draws, and zero losses.
The Canaries conceded just six home goals in 2022 while scoring 22 times. KuPS defeated Inter Turku four times in all competitions a season ago. Their last two meetings ended as wins to nil for KuPS.
Inter Turku finished fifth last season with a respectable 32 points from 22 games in the regular season. Inter were the league’s third-best away team, with 17 points from 33 possible. They finished the campaign unbeaten in four straight matches.
- KuPS Kuopio’s most recent record of 14 consecutive home games in Veikkausliiga consists of no losses.
- Inter Turku have lost all of their last 3 away matches in Veikkausliiga.
- KuPS Kuopio haven’t lost in 23 of their last 27 games in Veikkausliiga.
- Inter Turku have achieved just 1 wins of their last 7 Veikkausliiga games.
- Prediction: KuPS Kuopio
SJK – FC Haka
The last six matches between SJK and FC Haka were divided into two wins, two draws, and two defeats apiece. Last season, Haka went unbeaten against SJK, posting two draws and a win.
SJK finished 2022 in sixth place with 31 points from 22 fixtures. They were a strong home team with a record of 6W-3D-2L.
FC Haka ended the campaign in fourth place a season ago. They struggled on the road with four wins, two draws, and five losses. Haka had a –2-goal difference after 22 matches.
- Seinajoen JK have failed to score in their last 4 matches in Veikkausliiga.
- FC Haka have not suffered any defeats in their 6 most recent away Veikkausliiga matches.
- Seinajoen JK are undefeated in 10 of their last 11 home league games.
- In their last 10 away games in Veikkausliiga, FC Haka have recorded 9 undefeated encounters.
- Prediction: Both Teams to Score
