Preview:KuPS vs Rigas Futbola Skola - prediction, team news, lineups

KuPS hold the upper hand in this Europa League third qualifying round as they welcome Rigas Futbola Skola to VARE Areena on Thursday for the second leg.

The Canaries arrive with a one-goal advantage from last week’s first leg in Latvia and will aim to complete the job on home soil to book their place in the final phase of the preliminaries.

Match preview

In contrast to their previous continental outing, KuPS were dominant in the first 45 minutes in Riga, taking control through strikes from Jaakko Oksanen and Mohamed Toure, which left Barthelemy Diedhiou’s effort in the 61st minute serving only as a consolation.

The Finnish side had dropped down to this stage of the competition after a calamitous first half in the second leg of their Champions League qualifying tie with Kairat, conceding three goals and ultimately losing the tie 3-2 on aggregate.

While memories of that collapse may still linger, the Yellow Canaries can take comfort from the fact that this decisive fixture will be played on their own patch, where they have won their last five matches, including two continental outings without conceding.

There is added confidence heading into Thursday with momentum firmly behind them after KuPS defeated KTP 2-0 in the Finnish top flight at the weekend, making it three successive victories across all competitions, so with their tails currently up, Jarkko Wiss’s men will look to press home their advantage.

RFS also approach this clash buoyed by a domestic triumph, having recovered from last week’s 2-1 first-leg setback to rout Super Nova 4-1 in the Latvian top flight, and with only a flicker of momentum to build on, they will be eager to seize their chance to turn the tide in their favour.

However, some scars from their earlier continental setback may yet linger, as the Latvian outfit were sent packing from the Champions League qualifiers after a 5-1 aggregate defeat to Malmo, following up a heavy home loss with a 1-0 reverse in the return fixture.

If past evidence is anything to go by, it is worth noting that RFS reached the Europa League draw last term after falling from the UCL pathway but must now overturn a one-goal deficit on Thursday to keep their hopes of back-to-back appearances in the competition proper alive.

Viktors Morozs’s men boast a strong record on their travels with six victories from their last seven such games across all competitions, so it would be premature to write them off in this tie.

KuPS Europa League form:

KuPS form (all competitions):

Rigas Futbola Skola Europa League form:

Rigas Futbola Skola form (all competitions):

Team News

Head coach Wiss made several changes to KuPS’ lineup at the weekend, with only five players retaining their places from last week’s continental outing.

However, Toure is almost certain to start here after coming off the bench to find the net against KTP, with Agon Sadiku likely to make way.

Oksanen was deployed as a makeshift centre-back at the weekend due to Samuli Miettinen’s suspension in the league, but that arrangement should be restored to normal here, with the former returning to anchor the midfield and the latter pairing Ibrahim Cisse at the heart of the defence as in the opening leg.

RFS, on the other hand, will remain without Janis Ikaunieks, as the midfielder continues to serve his suspension for the red card he received against Malmo in their Champions League qualifiers.

While Janis will be absent despite finding the net at the weekend, his brother Davis Ikaunieks has given himself a strong case to start up front for a second consecutive match, having also scored in that same fixture.

KuPS possible starting lineup:

Kreidl; Savolainen, Cisse, Miettinen, Armah; Oksanen, Arifi; Luyeye-Lutumba, Ruoppi, Pennanen; Toure

Rigas Futbola Skola possible starting lineup:

Maric; Maraes, Lipucek, Stuglis, Savalnieks; Rakic, Panic, Zelenkovs; Wouter, D Ikaunieks, Diedhiou

We say: KuPS 1-0 Rigas Futbola Skola (KuPS win 3-1 on aggregate)

Although RFS may have more to fight for in this contest, it is difficult to see them overturning a KuPS side that has been formidable on their home turf in recent times, and the hosts could well edge it again with the backing of the Kuopio faithful to seal victories in both legs.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.