HJK vs Ilves prediction: team news, lineups, expert analysis
Finnish Cup
In the Finnish Cup semifinal on July 1, 2026, HJK will face Ilves. For both, it's a chance to salvage what has been a largely uneventful season.
HJK vs Ilves: Team News and Expert Analysis
The historic heavyweight from Helsinki has recently faded into the background. At the end of last season, they dropped from third after the regular part to finish fifth overall. This year, they spent a long time in mid-table, but a couple of wins since late May have helped them climb up the standings. However, after drawing with leaders Inter Turku and confidently beating Mariehamn, they suffered a heavy defeat to KuPS.
The Tampere club narrowly lost out to Inter Turku for second place last season—61 points to 60. Now, they have slipped to the lower half of the table. However, they've started winning more frequently since late spring. But after a 5-0 win over Jaro, they only managed a draw with KuPS and another draw at home against SJK.
In the cup, the capital side have cruised past three opponents, thrashing all of them. This included a 7-1 quarterfinal victory over Honka. Their opponents have also won three times, and only conceded against their last rival, Lahti—but still won confidently, 5-2.
Previous Matches: HJK vs Ilves
Ilves has won four of the last seven meetings with only one loss, but their most recent clash in May ended 2-2.
The home field should be a decisive factor here. Our bet is on a "home" victory (odds – 1.68).
HJK vs Ilves: Key Stats and Trends
- HJK has won six of their last ten matches
- On average, HJK scores 1.79 goals and concedes 1.21 goals per match
- 43% of HJK's matches see both teams scoring, with an average total of 3.0 goals per match
- Ilves has won five of their last eight games
- On average, Ilves scores 1.71 goals and concedes 1.93 goals per match
- 64% of Ilves' matches see both teams scoring, with an average total of 3.64 goals per match
HJK vs Ilves: Probable Starting Lineups
Universidad Católica Quito plays in a 1-4-2-3-1 formation (probable lineup): Marković - Lyons-Foster, Tikkanen, Bogičević, Ulitova - Lingman, Kallinen - Cicale, Meller, Mero - Pukki
Mushuc Runa plays in a 1-3-4-3 formation (probable lineup): Virtanen - Rale, Miettunen, Kumpu - Vallius, Raap, Tiitinen, Pettersson - Kilo, Hytönen, Stepin
Follow the Finnish Cup standings and check your team's form before placing a bet on the next match.
