HJK vs RFS Match Preview

Finnish champions Helsinki host Latvian champions Riga Skola in the first round of the UEFA Champions League qualifiers.

The hosts are in negative momentum after being winless for one and a half months. In their last five games they have three draws and two defeats, while their recent elimination from the cup is indicative of the bad form they are in. At home, out of the seven games they have played, they have won four having also two defeats and one draw, in the most recent game against league leaders Kuopio.

On the contrary, the Latvian champions are not a traditional European competition team but aspire to become one with the power of money. The Latvian league is also underway and after twenty rounds the visitors are second-placed having five points less than the leaders. Rigas are in good form after winning their last two league games, losing the previous one to leaders Valmiera and before that one they drew 2-2 in a match they were losing 0-2 before going down to nine men.

I think that the odds underestimate the visitors and I will stake 3 units on the Away Win Draw No Bet, offered at 3.25 odds, bearing in mind their 2-0 win over Helsinki in a friendly last January.