MX23RW : Wednesday, April 24 05:29:48| >> :600:648315:648315:
[monks data]
Champions League | Second Qualifying Round | 2nd Leg
Jul 26, 2022 at 6pm UK
Doosan Aréna
HJK logo

Plzen
5 - 0
HJK Helsinki

Pernica (11'), Sykora (21', 73'), Hejda (31'), Kliment (84')
Hejda (34')
FT(HT: 3-0)

Preview: Viktoria Plzen vs. HJK Helsinki - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Tuesday's Champions League clash between Viktoria Plzen and HJK Helsinki, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

After winning 2-1 in Finland last week, Viktoria Plzen will take a slender lead into the second leg of their Champions League second-round qualifying tie against HJK Helsinki.

The Finnish side are looking to avoid a fourth consecutive elimination in the second qualifying round, while Plzen are aiming to win at this stage of the competition for the first time since the 2013-14 season.


Match preview

HJK Helsinki's Roope Riski celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates on July 21, 2021© Reuters

Plzen are dreaming of a first Champions League group stage appearance since the 2018-19 campaign, but they have a long way to go in qualifying if they are to realise that dream.

In the short term, Plzen will take a narrow lead into the second leg on Tuesday after beating HJK 2-1 in Finland last week.

Tomas Chory got his side up and running from the penalty spot in the sixth minute before they were pegged back by a Bojan Radulovic equaliser five minutes after the restart.

However, Plzen required just seven minutes to restore their lead, with Jan Kopic grabbing what proved to be the winning goal for the Czech Republic champions.

Although Tuesday's hosts have won only one of their previous eight Champions League home games, they would be content with a draw that would help them progress to the next round.

While Plzen's domestic season begins this weekend, HJK Helsinki have six games left of their league campaign, with the defending champions currently three points behind league leaders KuPS.

Having played one game more than their title rivals, Toni Koskela's side face an uphill battle to retain the Veikkausliiga trophy.

Despite being in the middle of a title fight, HJK Helsinki will have to turn their focus to Champions League action on Tuesday as they bid to overturn a one-goal deficit.

Having won only one of their last six away Champions League games inside 90 minutes, HJK Helsinki will have to produce a faultless display to emerge victorious in the second leg.

If they can take the tie to penalties, the reigning champions of Finland will draw confidence from the shootout victory that they recorded against RFS in the previous round of Champions League qualifying.

Viktoria Plzen Champions League form:
  • W

HJK Helsinki Champions League form:
  • W
  • W
  • L

HJK Helsinki form (all competitions):
  • D
  • W
  • W
  • W
  • L
  • W


Team News

With no game to play between the two legs, Plzen are expected to name an unchanged side for Tuesday's contest.

Ludek Pernica will continue in central defence alongside Lukas Hejda, with the pair aiming to keep a clean sheet that would secure Plzen's passage into the next round.

After scoring in the first leg, Chory will provide one of the home side's main goal threats when he leads the line against HJK Helsinki.

As for the visitors, Renho and Raitala were rested at the weekend, with the duo set to return to the starting lineup to form a back three alongside Arttu Hoskonen.

David Browne was another player left out on Saturday, but the Papua New Guinea international is expected to start the second leg.

After scoring in the first leg, Radulovic found the net once again on Saturday, and the 22-year-old will be hoping to help his side overturn a one-goal deficit.

Viktoria Plzen possible starting lineup:
Stanek; Reznik, Pernica, Hejda, Havel; Bucha, Kalvach; Kopic, Sykora, Mosquera; Chory

HJK Helsinki possible starting lineup:
Hazard; Raitala, Hoskonen, Tenho; Browne, Hetemaj, Vaananen, Hostikka, Murilo; Abubakari, Radulovic


SM words green background

We say: Viktoria Plzen 3-1 HJK Helsinki

After putting in a fine away display in Finland last week, we think that Plzen will utilise home advantage to claim a comfortable win on Tuesday that would set up a third qualifying round tie against Maribor or Sheriff Tiraspol.


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


Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting over 1.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Over 1.5:data


ID:490797:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect7820:

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Game History

How you voted: Plzen vs HJK Helsinki

Viktoria Plzen
85.1%
Draw
6.8%
HJK Helsinki
8.1%
74
Collect / Create New Data
Share this article now:
Sheriff Tiraspol's Sebastien Thill celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates on October 19, 2021
Read Next:
Wednesday's Champions League predictions including Maribor vs. Sheriff Tiraspol
>
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free match previews newsletter! Updates are sent twice a week.
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
10am
Munar
Borges
10am
Navone
Popyrin
10am
Vukic
Daniel
10am
Bouzas Maneiro
Badosa
10am
Davis
Sherif
10am
Putintseva
Yuan
10am
Stephens
Trevisan
10am
Zhu
Jimenez Kasintseva
11.30am
Altmaier
Landaluce
11.30am
Rinderknech
Shevchenko
11.30am
Safiullin
Seyboth Wild
11.30am
Arango
Anisimova
11.30am
Sorribes Tormo
Pera
11.30am
Zhang
Rogers
12pm
Osaka
Minnen
12pm
Vekic
Siegemund
1pm
Darderi
Monfils
1pm
Karatsev
Marozsan
1pm
Van Assche
Bergs
1pm
Linette
Cocciaretto
1pm
Wang
Tomova
1pm
Wang
Dolehide
1.30pm
Dart
Bucsa
1.30pm
Raducanu
Lourdes Carle
2.30pm
Bronzetti
Gracheva
2.30pm
Frech
Cristian
2.30pm
Hibino
Krueger
3pm
Coric
Hassan
3pm
Kokkinakis
Draper
3pm
Nakashima
Bagnis
3pm
Van De Zandschulp
Eubanks
4pm
Baptiste
Saville
4pm
Bejlek
Blinkova
4pm
Errani
Wozniacki
4pm
Montgomery
Avanesyan
4.30pm
Klein
Llamas Ruiz
4.30pm
Burel
Danilovic
5pm
Moutet
Shang
5.30pm
Diaz Acosta
Shapovalov
6pm
Andreeva
Townsend
Tables header RHS

Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
QBayern651016
QCopenhagen62228
3Galatasaray61235
4Man Utd61144

Group B

TeamPWDLPTS
QArsenal641113
QPSV62319
3Lens62228
4Sevilla60242

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
QReal Madrid660018
QNapoli631210
3Braga61144
4Union Berlin60242

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
QReal Sociedad633012
QInter Milan633012
3Benfica61144
4Salzburg61144

Group E

TeamPWDLPTS
QAtletico642014
QLazio631210
3Feyenoord62046
4Celtic61144

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
QDortmund632111
QPSG62228
3AC Milan62228
4Newcastle61235

Group G

TeamPWDLPTS
QMan City660018
QRB Leipzig640212
3Young Boys61144
4Red Star60151

Group H

TeamPWDLPTS
QBarcelona640212
QPorto640212
3Shakhtar63039
4Antwerp61053


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!