EIF v IF Gnistan

EIF vs Gnistan Preview

EIF were handed yet another defeat in the Finnish top flight last Sunday when the hosts suffered a 2-1 defeat at home to VPS which has extended the hosts' winless run in the Veikkausliiga to nine games which has left Gabriel Xatart's side sitting bottom of the table, while Gnistan returned to winning ways last weekend with a 2-1 home win against Lahti which has given the visitors a nine-point cushion over their upcoming hosts.

It has not been a happy or productive start to this new Finnish top flight season for EIF who finished four points clear of runners-up Gnistan after the conclusion of the second phase of last season's second tier campaign as the hosts have still failed to win a game so far this term, drawing three and losing the other six games.

Points picked up in draws with the likes of Oulu, HJK and Lahti have been swamped by the six losses which includes defeats on home soil at their Ekenäs Sparbank Arena TN at the hands of Ilves and VPS respectively, so confidence is not likely to be sky-high ahead of Saturday afternoon's encounter.

Goals could also feature here at the Ekenäs Sparbank Arena TN as five of EIF's nine games to date have resulted in Over 2.5 goals being scored.

Gnistan also achieved promotion from the Finnish Ykkosliiga at the end of last season but the visitors have fared a little better than last season's counterparts, EIF, as Jussi Leppahlahti's side have managed to collect three wins from their opening 10 league matches of this new domestic top flight campaign. Victories against Inter Turku 2-1 and a 6-4 win away from home at Ilves saw Gnistan announce themselves on the Finnish top flight stage in impressive fashion, winning their opening two games on the trot.

Gnistan were brought back down to earth in subsequent games as they failed to win any of their subsequent seven league matches, picking up points in draws with Oulu, KuPS and Mariehamn but also slipping to four defeats as well.

Losses at the hands of VPS, SJK, Haka and HJK have just about outweighed Gnistan's successes so far this season but the visitors did record a 2-1 home win against Lahti to give them a welcome boost ahead of this upcoming trip to the Ekenäs Sparbank Arena TN.

Five out of Gnistan's 10 games to date this term have also produced three goals or more and goals have featured prominently in recent exchanges between EIF and Gnistan as well.

EIF v Gnistan Verdict

Two out of the last three fixtures between these two clubs have resulted in Over 2.5 goals while Gnistan recorded an emphatic 5-2 win away at EIF in their previous clash.

Therefore, our main bet will be Gnistan win @ 2.00

Other side bets worth considering:

Gnistan win & Over 2.5 goals @ 3.20

Correct Score: Gnistan 2-1 @ 9.00