The latest
stop in Motherwell’s European Tour is a trip to Helsinki in the 3rd
Qualifying round of the Conference League.
Having
started the season with wins in the Faroe Islands and in Leith, the Motherwell
squad will travel with some confidence to Finland for Thursday’s first
leg. They will be followed by a hopeful
travelling support who have bought out the away allocation.
While the
Steelmen have been gearing up to full match fitness as they new season unfolds
their opponents are eighteen games into the Veikkausliiga campaign. They currently lie in fourth place but their
good run came to a halt on Monday with a 3-0 loss to SJK. The goals were conceded in a ten minute collapse
early in the second half. A comfortable romp against Coleraine led to an 8-0
aggregate win in the Conference League 2nd Qualifying round.
They have
36 year old Teemu Pukki in their ranks.
The striker was in the Celtic team in season 2013/14 and played against
Motherwell on three occasions. His younger
striking partner at HJK is Mads Borchers and the pair will offer the greatest
goal threat.
Alfred
Johansson made just the one change for Sunday’s game against Hibs and the
line-up for Thursday will be pretty similar.
Once again his selection will be without a traditional striker but that appears
to have little impact on the team's ability to score. Lukas Fadinger and Ibrahim Said got the goals
at Easter Road and with Regan Charles-Cook on form there should be a few
opportunities created.
The
defensive showing in the second half against Hibs was excellent. Alex Paulsen was aided by team-mates who made
every effort to close down shots and crosses.
The new central defenders earned their spurs.
With a home
leg to come in a week the end of Thursday’s game will signal half-time in the
tie. Both sides will feel the
possibility of progress after a 1-1 draw.
