HJK to finish the job at Buducnost

FK Buducnost vs HJK Helsinki - 13/07/2021

Champions League | Preview

12/07/21

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Tuesday night brings us the 2nd legs of the 1st qualifying round in the Champions League and features the clash between Montenegro outfit, Buducnost Podgorica, and Finnish side, HJK, with the hosts looking to overhaul a 3-1 deficit from last week.

Buducnost had previously posted an impressive five-match winning streak in all competitions which included wins against Jezero and Zeta in the Montenegro First League along with the domestic cup final 3-1 win against Decic, while pre-season friendlies against Krylya Sovetov and Radnicki Kragujevic also resulted in victories.

Indeed, Buducnost had been unbeaten in their preceding eight matches in all competitions but on the European stage, especially at Champions League level, the hosts have struggled to come to terms with the step up in facing higher quality opposition.

This becomes evident when looking at Buducnost’s previous results in the Champions League as the hosts have managed to register just one win from their previous eight ties, which came in the form of a 1-0 win at Slask Wroclaw back in 2012, but also includes five defeats.

In addition, Buducnost have conceded a total of 13 goals in these last eight ties and scored just five in reply.

HJK extended their impressive winning streak to 10 matches on the trot after last week’s 1st leg 3-1 win at their Bolt Arena and the visitors now seemingly look to be in the driving seat following that emphatic result.

Form and results away from home have also impressed as HJK have string together a five-match winning streak on the road as well, having despatched the likes of Ilves, SJK, Haka, Mariehamn and HIFK in their own backyards in the domestic Veikkausliioga, which will give HJK plenty of confidence and belief ahead of this return leg in Montenegro.

Indeed, HJK have suffered just the one defeat out of their previous 18 matches on their travels in all competitions, a solid sequence of results which include no fewer than a total of 14 victories.

On the Champions League stage, HJK have won their last two ties on the trot with wins against Crvena Zvezda (2019) and last week’s 1st leg win against Buducnost, while also losing just two of their previous nine ties at this level.

Five wins within this nine-match sequence show that HJK should be respected here, while the visitors also possess far greater experience at Champions League level, having played a total of 39 ties to date in this competition.

Buducnost have to attack here and this may well result in HJK exploiting them on the break, so the visitors stand a decent chance of another victory here.

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