Hosts looking a Veri strong bet today

17Jan 2013

Jonno Turner selects two cup games as his Home and Away picks for today.

We're focusing on Finland for our first selection of the day, and last years Veikkausliiga winners HJK kick off the new campaign with a trip to Honka, in the League Cup.

Boss Sixten Bostrom took over from Antti Muurinen in December, and will be desperate to begin his regime with a good win in order to prove he is up to delivering a 26th domestic title to the famous club this year.

And the Helsinki side are unbeaten in five outings away from the Sonera Stadium ahead of this one, scoring a whopping 17 goals in that time.

In the bigger picture, that makes a dozen games without a loss for the Klubi, who ended the season with a bang - winning their last four on the bounce and securing the silverware in the process.

Honka go into this one having won just two of their last five, and boss Mika Lehkosuo will be keen to correct that slide as a new campaign begins.

A seventh placed finish last time out was no disgrace, but that was largely down to the inconsistency of the Keltamustat, and that is something they will want to work on this year.

Three wins from their last five at the Tapiolan Urheilupuisto will give the hosts confidence, and makes for an exciting tie here.

The last time these two sides met, HJK ran out 1-0 winners - and I fancy the capital-based side to claim victory in this one, too.

Bet 1: HJK (AWAY) @ 1.63

Off to slightly warmer climes now, as we switch our attentions to Greece - and the Greek cup encounter between Veria and Xanthi this evening.

The hosts are in consistent form ahead of this clash, and have lost just one of their last eight outings - securing five clean sheets from their last seven.

And their home performances have been useful too: three unbeaten, and only one defeat in seven in front of their own fans, giving them confidence here.

Boss Dimitrios Kalaitzidis will be hoping that his charges can use their home advantage to secure a maximum return tonight.

With the return leg to come at the end of January, the Imathia side will be keen to get a positive result on the board - and get one leg into the quarter finals of this competition.

Visitors Xanthi travel to this clash in miserable form - and have not won a game on the road in 17 attempts.

That travel sickness threatens to dismantle their season, and boss Marinos Ouzounidis will be relieved that his side do have the return leg on their own patch as part of this tie.

But the AOXARA have only managed to score one goal in their last six games - that's nine hours of football - and that suggests that they may struggle against such a strong home defence.

Bet 2: Veria (HOME) @ 2.46