PREVIEW: VPS - FC HONKA Arch Bell - Thursday, July 23, 2009
Coming off their best win of the season, Lawrence Smith and VPS hit the road again to try to make it two wins in a row versus FC Honka on Sunday afternoon at Tapiolan Urheilupuisto in Espoo.
After scoring his second goal of the season last week in a victory at Haka, Smith is expected to take his usual spot up front for head coach Petri Vuorinen.
Both goals from the South Carolina native have been game-winning scores in what turned out to be separate 1-0 victories.
Vuorinen's squad also received a piece of good news late last week when Veikkausliiga officials revealed that VPS is the leading Finnish club in the UEFA Fair Play standings which would entitle Smith and his teammates to participate in next year's Europa League.
Honka come into the match sitting in fifth place in the league standings with 23 points, just three points ahead of VPS.
The hosts will be going on just three days rest after playing on Thursday versus Welsh club Bangor City in the second round of the Europa League.
Vuorinen will be without midfielder Joacim Tuuri whose knees are badly cut following a traffic accident and defender Jyrki Saranpää who will miss the next six weeks with a hip fracture.
Honka head coach Mika Lehkosuo will be missing midfielders Markus Paatelainen and John Weckström whom are out with long term injuries.
Currently visting YA: 313 
See these related articles
