The Helsinki clubs HIFK and HJK will meet in the first local match of the season in Helsinki. Both Stadby Derby teams have experienced their own kind of stumbling blocks at the start of the season. Both want to stop stumbling at the expense of a local competitor.
28.4. 11:00 AM • Updated April 28th. 11:26
The Helsinki Football Club and the Helsinki IFK will meet on Thursday in the first local match of the season, the Stad derby.
Both Helsinki main series teams are embarking on a close-knit struggle in a kind of turbulence. For both, the victory of the first local encounter would be an important guide for the season and at the same time an opportunity to gain more work peace in the locker room.
HJK embarks on a struggle with an exceptional loss to his neck. Helsinki’s blue-and-white people lost 1–4 readings to Turku Inter at home. With the loss of the head coach Toni Koskelan Personnel management skills rose to prominence when Helsingin Sanomat wrote (moving to another service)according to its information, Koskela is not a particularly respected person among his team.
Koskela himself was quite calm before the derby fight.
– It is always the case that when HJK disappears, you make it a crisis, Koskela told the media at a press conference at Töölö Stadium.
– Of course, we look at it in such a way that what happened in the match could have been played better. Looking at the facts and statistics, we see that we had a very bleak ten minutes in that match. During that time, the opponent’s finish rose to a height of 1.0 to 1.7 xG when viewed from different locations. It is quite rare for an opponent to score four goals while waiting, Koskela stated.
With one loss to HJK, the HIFK season has not started any better. After four matches, the star shirts are the last one in the series. The team’s head coach changed after the second game of the league. Portuguese Bernardo Tavares was not involved in either match and left the club citing family reasons. Soon, Indonesian PSM Makassar announced that Tavares had signed an agreement with the club.
“There have been a lot of negative things”
HIFK head coach Mixu Paatelainen is involved in his first local match in Helsinki in front of an exchange bench. For the former Huuhkajat pilot, the stakes of the match are high and he says that he expects a challenge.
– I’m looking forward to the match. It is the biggest match in Finland and it has a lot to do with the supporters and us. These matches are great moments, so I look forward to it, Paatelainen comments to Urheilu.
Although Paatelainen has only been in the wash for a week and one Veikkausliiga match, he promises one thing for the Stad derby. According to him, a red-shirted team fighting for a local match will be seen on the field.
– The fighting spirit is sure to be reflected in IFK’s players and their grips. That’s the first thing that needs to show up, he says.
– There have been a lot of negative things. The club has been in quite a turmoil, there has been a lot of turbulence. Getting started here hasn’t been easy, but I’ve been thankful that the players ’attitude has been right in practice and in the first game. That’s the main point
Paatelainen praises the local opponent for his quality as a player.
– When you look at their crew, they have two quality players on the team. And I don’t think anyone could say which of those HJK “teams” would be a worse opponent. Still, we have equally high-quality players, and if everything falls into place, and luck favors us, who knows what’s going on, he evaluates the balance of power.
However, HJK’s extensive line-up has also suffered injuries. Among other things, well-performing young people Santeri Väänänen and Miska Ylitolva are out of local struggle. The injuries of the reigning Finnish champion increased a little more when Roope Riskin According to Koskela, the recovery took a backseat last Sunday.
Koskela said that David Browne returns to the team for use in the local match.
HJK wants to fix its two biggest problems
HIFK’s Paatelainen has had to get to know his team at a close pace. He admits he doesn’t yet know everything about his players.
– Every time on the training ground or in the game you gain more understanding. In addition, we will also get the team that suits us best on the field. We are still at a very early stage that there will be a lot of experimentation ahead. The lineup will snap into place, but it will certainly take more time than this one week. Derby in particular is coming forward really fast.
According to the HIFK pilot, the attitude of his team has been good and he appreciates the players’ desire to listen and improve the game. He thinks star shirts have room for improvement, for example, in how aggressive a team is and when it should aim for ball games.
– Already in our first match, we showed the things we had gone through in practice before the match. From this match, we’ll get more information and bangs on how we want to act. Still, it will take time for us to get the full weight of the team’s performance in the right way.
HJK’s head coach Koskela needs a controlled performance from Stad’s derby in addition to winning.
– Our defense capabilities must be better than against Inter. We need to have better control over key players in such counterattack moments. In addition to our efficiency, it was our biggest problem, Koskela summed up.
In addition to the football on the field, the expected part of the derby has been the loud supporters of both teams. The atmosphere of the local matches in the stadium has peaked from one match to the next, but disruptions have not been avoided over the years. This year, too, the atmosphere is likely to be at the top of the teams ’supporters, who are thirsty for their first attachment to Stad’s dominance.