KuPS
- KuPS are unbeaten in three of their last five competitive games.
- KuPS have kept three shutouts in their five previous Conference League matches.
- The Finns are set to bring their compact 4-3-3 or 4-4-2 shape to the pitch and will try to stifle Lech Poznań’s creativity and pace with their ability to build up patiently, defend in numbers and counterattack in numbers.
- The home side also have the set-piece and width to cause problems on the counter-attack and have shown they can stifle more illustrious names in this group.
- KuPS boss Miika Nuutinen has developed a good style of play that has brought success in the Finnish Cup this decade and his team have been defensively disciplined in the Conference League too, beating Slovan Bratislava 3-1 at home and battling to a 2-2 draw away at Crystal Palace.
- Piotr Parzyszek is KuPS’ most dangerous forward, but he is no flashy striker and can play off the ball too, while his through balls and goals have been crucial in their run to this competition, where his strike at Selhurst Park will live long in the memory.
- Midfielders Saku Savolainen, Oksanen and Pennanen are the creative spark in the side and can get them forward on the break or from set-piece plays.
Lech Poznań
- KKS Lech Poznań are in the top half of the Ekstraklasa with 26-29 points from 18-20 games.
- Lech Poznań boss Niels Frederiksen’s team play an aggressive style of soccer in a front-foot 4-2-3-1 where they press the ball and try to get their width and pace forward in quick combinations.
- Striker Mikael Ishak is the talisman in this Lech side and was among the tournament’s top scorers with five goals, scoring a variety of goals in clinical fashion.
- There is plenty of creativity behind him in the shape of Ismaheel, Bengtsson and Palma, who bring explosive pace to the flanks, where Palma can cut inside to score or assist.
- Lech’s domestic form is a little patchy with two defeats and one win since the season’s restart in Poland, but they got a gritty win away at Górnik Zabrze and drew with Mainz in their last Conference League game.
- This will be a chess game between two different styles of play and it could be cagey, so the Under 2.5 goals option at 2.05 looks to have some value here.
KuPS
- Piotr Parzyszek is KuPS’ most dangerous forward, but he is no flashy striker and can play off the ball too, while his through balls and goals have been crucial in their run to this competition, where his strike at Selhurst Park will live long in the memory.
- Midfielders Saku Savolainen, Oksanen and Pennanen are the creative spark in the side and can get them forward on the break or from set-piece plays.
Lech Poznań
- Striker Mikael Ishak is the talisman in this Lech side and was among the tournament’s top scorers with five goals, scoring a variety of goals in clinical fashion.
- There is plenty of creativity behind him in the shape of Ismaheel, Bengtsson and Palma, who bring explosive pace to the flanks, where Palma can cut inside to score or assist.
Betting Insights
- The Under 2.5 goals market is highlighted at 2.05 as a value option.
- The draw is available at 4.3 and is suggested as an alternative to a straight Lech win.
- The weather will be sub-zero in Tampere on Thursday, which could influence the game’s tempo and chances.
Prediction
- Lech are strong favorites to win the first leg, but the bookmakers have got this one wrong, in my view, as KuPS are an organized unit in Europe and have made a habit of frustrating better sides than them on the big stage.
- It is difficult to see KuPS getting the better of Poznan, but if the Finns stay in the game, the match could be close and I think the best bet will be for a 1-0 or 2-0 Lech win, while the draw at 4.3 looks like a good alternative to the straight Lech win.
- The weather will be sub-zero in Tampere on Thursday and there is a big difference in the experience and quality of the two sides, but Lech has more to lose in this tie than KuPS, who would achieve a historic feat if they progressed to the round of 16 of the Conference League.
