Johannes Yli-Kokko opens in a Dundalk shirt, when the local game is against Drogheda.
Johannes Yli-Kokko played in HJK last season. Jaakko Stenroos / AOP
The most interesting game of the day
On Friday, the sports world has quieted down in Finland and there are quite a few events in the world, so it’s time to be polite.
In the Irish premier league, the Louth Derby between Drogheda and Dundalk will take place on Friday – the match will also feature Finnish colors, as the away team’s midfield Johannes Yli-Kokko.
Louth is the only county in Ireland to field two premier league teams. The 35-kilometer distance between the cities has been conducive to generating a competitive spirit, from which the Derby, played since 1963, also draws.
The teams’ fan groups always get to create an intense and passionate atmosphere at the local game. Drogheda’s “Famous 45 Ultras” and Dundalk’s “Shedside Army” act as agitators for the noise, and they also aim their songs at the opposing team’s fans. An atmospheric evening is guaranteed.
The intensity has often moved to the grass as well, as the derbies have seen a lot of outs and warnings. The records are from the seasons 2012 (10 warnings) and 2014 (3 red cards).
There is a significant difference in the structures of the teams, as Drogheda is a fan-owned club, while Dundalk has owners who also pour money into the club. On the financial side, Dundalk has widened the gap with the local opponent, but on the field, the gap has not really widened.
The teams have met 201 times throughout history. Of these, Dundalk have won 104 and Drogheda 58. There have been 39 draws. An average of 2.69 goals per match have been scored in these games.
At the moment, Drogheda are seventh in the league, two points off the qualifying spot. Dundalk, on the other hand, is chasing a TOP3 ranking and a place in the European games. The championship is on the run, but instead of third, there are only three surfaces to go. The difference to the local opponent is nine stitches.
In the defensive end, the key figures of the teams are quite close to each other, but the significant difference comes in the attacking third. Drogheda has scored a goal per game, Dundalk about one and a half.
The previous meeting of the season took place in March, also at Head In The Game Park. The purple-blue army got their first derby home win in eight years, when the game ended with a penalty goal 1-0.
Yli-Kokko, who grew up at HJK, has appeared this season in the lily white shirt 18 times and scored two goals and received two warnings.
In advance, there should be a hot and even fight for the lordship of Louth. Home advantage carries Drogheda to a marginal, 37 percent favorite position. For a draw, Arvioni gives 29 and thus Dundalk has 34 pins left in the probability field. With these estimates, you won’t find a 1X2 playable with overmultipliers, let alone in the Asian market.
Veikkaus’ 3.30 for a draw rises to the closest of the playable ones, when the limit coefficient is 3.45. There are no gems to be found in goal number bets either. My estimate for under 2.5 goals is 52 percent. The most likely final results of the match are 1–1, 1–0 and 0–1.
The match starts at 21:45.
The best betting tip of the day
In terms of good ideas, Friday’s bet offer is as quiet as Helsinki at midsummer. I could see that the best bet tip of the day is to have a justified day off from betting.
Keflavik, who started the season weakly in Iceland’s main league, is there and here in terms of playability, but the poor tone is not terribly bad and the famous “mutu” against the hara.
The opponent Fylkir is not of much better quality and basically the home advantage should carry the hosts to the favorite position with these power relations. You can get 2.58 for Keflavik’s direct win, and if you absolutely have to take a game to Friday, then this would be an option.
The match starts at 22:15.
Games of the day:-
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