KuPS Kuopio vs SJK Predictions, Betting Tips and Match Previews

KuPS come into this match having struggled for form of late, as they’ve failed to win any of their last three games, two of which they’ve lost, though the fixture list hasn’t exactly been kind to them during that time. Facing two of the top three in back-to-back matches was never going to be easy. This home match against a struggling SJK side represents a massive opportunity for the hosts to regain the winning thread.

Unlike the hosts, who’re just a point off the European spots, the visitors have been having a tough season. Simo Valakari’s men, who’ve won just three games all season, currently sit just above the drop-zone and are finding wins very hard to come by. Scoring goals has been an issue, while keeping them out has also presented Saturday’s visitors with numerous problems. On all available form, it’s tough to see how SJK are going to get a result out of this match.

Playing on the road has brought SJK almost no joy this season; the visitors will arrive at Kuopio Football Stadium on Saturday having won just one of their away matches during the current campaign, while they’ve failed to win any of their last six away from the comforts of home. Having shipped three in their last away match, the visitors could easily struggle to keep at bay a home team who’ve scored plenty of goals on home soil this season.

Having conceded in all eight of their home matches this campaign, the hosts may not always be sharp defensively, but they’ve made light work of scoring goals on home soil of late. Jani Honkavaara’s side have scored at least twice in each of their last five home matches. By notching goals against the likes of league leaders HJK, KuPS have proved themselves to be a more than capable offensive unit, so it’s not too hard to see them hurting a visiting back-line that has been anything but difficult to breach.

With their recent scoring record in mine, it’s tough to fancy anything other than home goals in this fixture. SJK really do struggle when it comes to keeping teams out, as the fact that they’ve conceded at least three goals in each of their last two matches suggests. Having shipped against worse teams, SJK are once again fancied to come up short defensively. Backing ‘KuPS to Score Over 1.5 Goals’ is how to make this fixture pay.