Verdict: HJK win
Best Odds: 4/11
Bookmaker: Luckster
Seeking an immediate Veikkausliiga response on Wednesday afternoon, HJK will welcome Jaro to Helsinki.
HJK
Starting with the hosts, watching their extended purple patch come to an abrupt end last time out as they slumped to a 3-0 drumming at the hands of title contenders KuPS, HJK are seeking an immediate response here. Nevertheless, extending on their Suomen Cup adventure on June 24th as they cruised their way to a 4-0 romp away at Klubi, interim boss Miika Nuutinen has seen his squad win each of their other four appearances across all competitions. Likewise, sat firmly in the driving seat to book another top-half finish, Wednesday’s hosts have lost just one of their last 13 matchups – a run that stems all the way back to April 22nd. It should also be noted, HJK are unbeaten in their previous six showdowns on home soil (five wins, one draw).
HJK Team News
Not featuring over the past month, HJK are once again expected to be without one-time Cheltenham defender Daniel O’Shaughnessy on Wednesday afternoon. However, ahead of their midweek showdown, Nuutinen’s camp have reported a clean bill of health.
Completing a permanent switch ahead of the 2025 campaign, former Norwich striker Teemu Pukki will spearhead HJK’s charge here. Ex-Tottenham youngster Brooklyn Lyons-Foster will start at the heart of Nuutinen’s defence.
Jaro
As for the visitors, while Jaro might have only made their Veikkausliiga return this season, the Reds have a real battle on their hands in the race to keep hold of their top-flight status in 2025. Eventually falling to a 3-2 defeat away at KTP last week, Niklas Vidjeskog’s men hold just a three-point buffer from slipping to the top of the table. Failing to find any kind of stability, the Jakobstad-based outfit have also registered just a sole Veikkausliiga victory over the past month. Pencilled in as a landslide underdog when they travel to the capital on Wednesday afternoon, Jaro have also shown some extended defensive issues. Including a 3-1 loss against SJK last month, the midweek guests have conceded at least a pair of goals in four of their previous five outings across all competitions.
Jaro Team News
Ahead of their trip to Helsinki on Wednesday afternoon, Jaro have reported a clean bill of health and have no fresh injury concerns to worry about. Opening his Veikkausliiga account against Oulu on June 18th, 17-year-old starlet Rudi Vikstrom could get some more minutes under his belt.
Bagging what turned out to be a consolation strike against KTP last week and registering a seventh Veikkausliiga strike of the 2025 campaign, Kerfala Cissoko will spearhead Vidjeskog’s charge in the final third.
HJK vs Jaro Key Factors to Consider
- When HJK and Jaro last met on May 11th, Wednesday’s hosts collected a routine 3-0 victory in Jakobstad.
- In fact, HJK are unbeaten in all of their previous 16 consecutive meetings against Jaro – a run that stems all the way back to July 2011.
- Despite their 3-0 defeat against KuPS last week, HJK have won their other four appearances across all competitions.
- Wednesday’s hosts have lost just one of their previous 13 straight matchups across all fronts.
- Jaro have conceded at least a pair of goals in four of their previous five appearances.
Conclusion
Eventually blown away at title contenders KuPS last week, HJK will know the importance of claiming an immediate response here. Excited to make a return to Helsinki on Wednesday afternoon, the midweek hosts have suffered just a single defeat from any of their previous 13 appearances across all competitions. Likewise, landing a routine 3-0 romp when they last met Jaro on May 11th, we are expecting a similar home victory.
Verdict: HJK win
Best Odds: 4/11
Bookmaker: Luckster
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