Coleraine vs HJK Helsinki Predictions

• HJK won the first leg 5-0
• Coleraine have lost 13 of 23 home games in European competition
• Five of Coleraine’s last seven matches have featured four or more goals
• Four of HJK’s last six away games have featured four or more goals

Bannisters set to slide out of Europe

Coleraine will bid to restore some pride in what looks like a forlorn task to overturn a five-goal deficit against HJK in Thursday’s Europa Conference League tie. Ruaidhrí Higgins’ men lost 5-0 in Helsinki in last week’s first leg and, to make matters worse, lost club captain Mark Coyle for a long period with an ACL injury.

The Bannisters’ chances of progression are almost nil and all they can hope for is to show up for the fans at Inver Park and avoid another thumping.

Higgins admitted his side contributed to their own downfall with some sloppy play and that some of the players that were forced to feature did not have the match sharpness in their legs.

Pukki adds class to exuberant HJK

Unlike Coleraine, HJK are right in the middle of their domestic campaign and won 1-0 at home to Inter Turku last weekend to maintain an eight-point gap to the Veikkausliiga leaders.

Teemu Pukki scored two of their goals in last week’s rout and the former Norwich City and Celtic striker is one of several old heads guiding an otherwise youthful and exuberant side.

Back the visitors to follow-up their comfortable win with another goal-laden display, but Coleraine are capable of finding the back of the net themselves in a match which should feature a few goals.