PREVIEW: HAKA - VPS Arch Bell - Thursday, July 16, 2009
Another challenging road test awaits Lawrence Smith and VPS who travel to Valkeakoski on Saturday to take on second place Haka at Tehtaan Kenttä.
Smith is expected to get the start at forward for head coach Petri Vuorinen whose club has only picked up one point in their last three matches.
After playing four games in a span of 12 days culminating in last Sunday's 0-1 home defeat against Tampere United, VPS was able to rest all this week and should have fresh legs to take aim at Haka who are just three points out of first place in the Veikkausliiga standings.
The two squads faced off against each other in the first week of the season which saw Haka squeak out a 0-1 victory thanks to a Pietari Holopainen goal right before halftime.
The hosts are led by long time head coach Olli Huttunen who guided Haka to their last Veikkausliiga championship in 2004.
Huttunen's squad will look to rebound themselves after being slapped around this past Monday in a 0-3 defeat versus TPS.
Vuorinen will be without defender Jussi Äijälä and midfielder Petteri Forsell due to suspension but will welcome back starting goalkeeper Henri Sillanpää who is now healthy after suffering a knee injury last month.
Haka will be without the services of defender Kalle Parviainen and midfielder Kivistö Nicolaksella who are out with knee injuries while defender Jari Nikkilä may miss due to military service.
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