The pot will stir on Friday at Isomäki Arena.
Aces are strong against Lukko. Elmeri Elo / AOP
The most interesting game of the day
This time, the Ässät–Lukko derby between Liiga Satakunta has an exceptionally hard charge and vibration. Very often in recent seasons, Ässät has not entered their home match against Lukko as clear favorites, but this will happen on Friday.
Ässät has a huge advantage compared to Lukko, especially when measured by performance and self-confidence.
Aces can be considered the strongest positive sensation of the early season of the League. In addition to everything, the team’s third place in the standings is fully deserved. In their last two matches, Ässät has rightfully knocked out the series’ strongest champion favorites Tappara and HIFK. Earlier, Äss had an intermediate game in Hämeenlinna against HPK (1–3), but before that the team played no less than ten consecutive points matches, winning seven of them.
When Ässi isn’t bothered by injury concerns at the moment and the team’s game is working in every area, you can reasonably expect its good results to continue. The Pori team currently has a charming self-confidence and a positive state of flow.
Luko’s mental situation is completely opposite compared to Ässi. The team has suffered three consecutive defeats and the goal scoring in particular has fallen badly. In the last three matches, Lukko has been able to score only five goals. Measured by expected goals, Lukko has not been quite as weak as its results indicate, but at the moment the team’s problem is precisely finishing their goal posts.
Aces goalkeeper Niklas Rubin is third in the league’s goalkeeper statistics in save percentages and goals conceded, both with 91.79 and 1.90, so at least it is not easier than average for Lukon to solve his goal-scoring problem. Also the team’s self-confidence and spirit are now at least a small question mark, although Derby will certainly ignite Luko’s players as well. Luka doesn’t have any significant line-up concerns going into the derby either.
Ässat has received points from its six previous home matches and won five of them, so home base is very likely to bring Äss more positives than pressure at the moment. I consider Ässi an exceptionally big favorite in the Satakunta derby.
Aces–Lukko starts at 18:30.
The best betting tip of the day
In terms of betting, the 2.00 odds (the lowest on the market) offered for Ässie’s actual game time win are not even close to playable, according to many models.
However, I personally give a really strong weight to the self-confidence factors here and I consider the offer in the Ässie charm game, despite the possible pressure and overshooting factors, to be worth even a little experiment now.
The best case in football games is +0.75 handicap Celta Girona as a guest with odds of 1.80. Girona–Celta starts at 22:00.
Games of the day: Aces–Lock 1 (odds 2.00).
The total balance of the day’s games for the year: 108/192/98%
Every day Iltalehti chooses the most interesting game of the day and the best game destination of the day. You can always find them in the Betting and Ravit section.