Motherwell
and HJK Helsinki rejoin the contest for a place in the Conference League
play-off at Fir Park on Thursday.
The first
leg finished level giving both sides encouragement. Motherwell, still finding their feet as the
team rebuilds under a new manager, can be pleased that they return to home
advantage with the tie very much alive.
HJK kept
themselves in contention with Temu Pukki’s equaliser and, backed by a weekend
league win that moved them to third in the Veikkausliiga, they will travel with
optimism. The prize for the winner is a
play-off with last season’s runners up Freiburg.
Helsinki’s
one goal win on Sunday away to Oulu was a fairly one-sided affair according to
the match report. It was played on grass but the
surface was far short of the bowling green quality that awaits at Fir Park.
Motherwell
spent Sunday duelling to a stalemate with Falkirk. The lack of sharpness evident may have been
partly due to the short recovery time available after the first leg in
Finland. Falkirk made the best of it.
Alfred
Johansson’s reconstructed squad has built an unbeaten run and assumed the same
free flowing style as last season. With
Lukas Fadinger, Oscar Priestman, Tom Sparrow and Ibrahim Said forming the core of the remaining old guard
with Tawanda Maswanhise now leading the attack there is a mix of old and new.
Almost
8,000 turned up to see the Steelmen win against Havnar Boltfelag a fortnight
ago and they can expect similar enthusiastic backing to push them toward the
play-off round.
A long
night may lie ahead as extra-time may be needed after a 0-0 draw.
