Honka vs KuPS Kuopio Predictions, Betting Tips and Match Previews

KuPS find themselves second in the Finnish top flight yet again, as they finished as distant runners-up to the champions last season. They’re already trailing HJK by 10 points after just 14 games, so is this going to be yet another season where they fail to make a challenge for silverware? They will be aiming to close that gap on Saturday evening, as they step out in Esbo to take on Honka. The hosts are looking solid in the top flight this term, but can they continue that form this weekend?

Honka are coming off a draw at fourth placed Lahti on Tuesday night, which has kept them in the top half in the Veikkausliiga. Staying there isn’t going to be easy, but the hosts will expect to carry on the momentum they built up in their promotion campaign last season. Their hopes of adding to their strong start could be hit by KuPS, who have lost just one of their last six away games ahead of this trip.

KuPS won 3-1 over Ilves last weekend, and that has kept them in the hunt to be the second best side in the division. Stopping HJK already seems like a big effort, although it’s much too early for them to give up hope. With RoPS sitting level with them on points, the chase to finish behind HJK at the top could be an interesting one.

KuPS may not make it that far, but they do have an impressive attack to be proud of this season. They’ve scored 1.71 goals per game on the road, finding the back of the net in 79% of their league games. They’ll be expecting to run up some more goals in this visit, especially against a Honka side who are middling in terms of home form. The hosts have nine points from their last five home games, and sit sixth place in the ranking of home form too. That is largely down to their attack, which has helped produce some high scoring matches in Esbo.

The hosts have averaged 1.8 goals per game at home, but they’ve still conceded over one per game in the league. Honka have seen both teams score in 80% of their home matches, and the visitors have seen 71% of their trips finish with both sides hitting the back of the net. Neither of these two defences look all that solid, and after the last three meetings between these two sides finished with both teams scoring, we think backing BTTS is the best way to go in this game.