HB Torshavn V HJK Helsinki Betting Tips: Over 2.5 Goals – 16 July 2019

More goals as HJK seek to press home advantage

Champions League Tips

HB Torshavn V HJK Helsinki

Tuesday 16th July 2019 – 19:00 Kick-Off
UEFA Champions League First Round Qualifying
Pick: Over 2.5 Goals
Odds: 37/40
Bookmaker: BetVictor

1 X 2
7/2 11/4 3/4

* (All betting odds displayed were accurate as of July 15th, 2019 at 01:16)

First Leg: HJK Helsinki 3-0 HB Torshavn (Goals: Lassi Lappalainen (2), Daniel O’Shaughnessy)

Preview: An emphatic 3-0 victory in Finland for HJK Helsinki has them firmly in the ascendancy in this Champions League First Qualifying Round tie, with HB Torshavn requiring a massive performance back on home soil if they’re to prolong their participation in the competition. The Gundadalur Stadium in Torshavn, Faroe Islands is the venue.

Champions League Betting at Bet365

 

HB Torshavn – Can the underdogs produce a comeback?

The reigning league champions for the Faroe Islands were given a dose of hard-hitting reality in the Finnish capital last week, struggling throughout as they succumbed to a superior side 3-0. That was despite playing most of the match with a numerical advantage after the home side were reduced to ten men midway through the opening period.

The score was only 1-0 at the time of the dismissal yet HB still struggled to impose themselves on proceedings, conceding twice more without reply to leave them with a huge task in this second leg. And if playing with an extra man wasn’t enough to level the playing field for them, playing this return leg in more familiar surroundings may not make all that much difference either.

As improbable as a comeback seems, HB will at least have home comforts this time around. Their league record last season was very impressive on home soil, winning 11 of 13 (W11 D0 L2), and it has been a case of more of the same in the current campaign: W5 D1 L1. A 5-0 whitewash of Argir at the end of June was their third consecutive win at their Gundadalur Stadium, to go with high-scoring triumphs over Streymur (6-4) and Klaksvik (4-1).

Their record in Europe would suggest their cause is a hopeless one, however. Since 2010, the 23-time Faroe Islands champions have contested eight ties at home and only won two of them – beating Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg (1-0) in 2011 and Gibraltar’s Lincoln Red Imps (5-2) in 2015 – but did at least manage to get on the scoresheet on six occasions. Both Teams to score is 5/6 with Bet365.

HJK/HJK HT/FT Betting
7/4

Bet365

 

HJK Helsinki Preview – Finnish champions to press home advantage?

Most of the hard work would appear to have been completed in Finland for HJK, with the Finnish champions now in a commanding position to progress onto the next stage courtesy of a 3-0 victory in Helsinki. It was a win achieved against a little adversity as well. Forward Lassi Lappalainen had opened the scoring early on but a red card for Friday Faith Obilor, with barely 30 minutes played, made their task decidedly more difficult. Or so it seemed.

The early dismissal did nothing to curb HJK’s attacking instincts, as strikes from Daniel O’Shaughnessy and a second of the game for Lassi Lappalainen sealed a comfortable win. Considering the ease with which the team still found the back of the net, their forwards must be licking their lips at the prospect of another crack at the same vulnerable defence, only this time without the constraints of competing with a player less.

Although, their inconsistent away form would be a slight cause for concern. In the past two seasons, HJK have contested five European away matches. The negative would be a record of only one win in those fixtures (W1 D1 L3), but that rare success was enjoyed against very similar opposition – a 2-1 victory at Vikingur Gota, of the Faroe Islands, in 2018. The other results coming against Welsh side Connah’s Quay (L0-1) and Shkendija (L1-3) in 2017, as well as Bate Borisov (0-0) and Olimpija Ljubijana (0-3) last season.

The Finnish champions have also suffered two of their three losses of the current Finnish Veikkausliiga whilst on their travels (W3 D3 L2), opening with a five-match winless run on the road before recovering well to win their last three on the spin. The most recent of which coming at HIFK on July 4, recording a 2-0 success.

 

HB Torshavn V HJK Helsinki Key Facts:

  • HB Torshavn won just two of previous eight home European matches (W2 D1 L5).
  • HJK Helsinki been victorious on one occasion in last five away European fixtures (W1 D1 L3).
  • The first leg finished 3-0 to HJK Helsinki, who ran out comfortable winners despite playing an hour with a man disadvantage.

 

Betting Summary

The more established side comfortably came out on top in the first leg, so much so that not even playing with a player less for over an hour could keep matters competitive on the pitch. It is doubtful, therefore, that playing this match in the Faroe Islands will negate the discrepancy in quality between these sets of players. Unless HJK ease up in this second leg, but that is overthinking.

HJK showed their superiority in the first leg to win comfortably, so odds of around evens on them recording another victory seem reasonable enough. However, HB Torshavn are a lot more adept playing in front of their home fans and the dire predicament facing them calls for a huge attacking effort. Over 2.5 goals could very well deliver again especially if HJK are provided with additional space to exploit.