UEFA Europa League Preview: Shamrock Rovers -v- Ilves Tampere

SHAMROCK ROVERS  

It is a big European game in Tallaght on Thursday night even if it is a behind-closed-doors affair as the Hoops welcome Finnish side Ilves Tampere to Dublin 24 (kick-off 8pm - stream available here for €10).

Thursday's match is a great opportunity for Rovers to progress into the second qualifying round of the Europa League with the Hoops having home advantage for this one-legged European clash with no away goals rule being applied.

Hoops Head Coach Stephen Bradley spoke about how the move away from a two leg tie will affect the game. “It changes obviously because if they come to Tallaght knowing they can take us back to Finland it’s a different game for them, a different mentality. 

“That bit definitely changes and we’ve got to be ready for that because sometimes when European teams come to Ireland, they’ll sit off more than what they would over there. So we’ve got to see that mentality change for them and be ready and understand that.”

There is a wealth of European experience within the Rovers squad who have acquitted themselves excellently on this stage during Bradley’s tenure in Tallaght - winning their last two European home games.

“This group is well used to playing together in Europe now. We know we’ve had some great occasions in Tallaght the last few years with Limassol, Brann and AIK. We’ve had some great nights and big crowds. Unfortunately we’re going to be missing the crowd on Thursday night. 

“Europe is a good game because it focuses your mind, the players are coming up against something completely different and fresh and so are we as staff. So in that aspect it’s exciting but it’s not something that we gear towards every year. We know it’s coming and get ready for it but when you’re part of this club you’re hoping that there’s a lot of big games throughout the year.”

ILVES TAMPERE

It was a delayed start to the Finnish league due to COVID-19 with the 12 team Veikkausliiga kicking off at the start of July. It hasn’t been the best of starts for Ilves who finished third in the league last year and who, like Rovers, won their domestic cup.



They are sixth in the table having won four of the 11 games played to date with just one of those wins coming on the road – although they do come into the game on the back of a 3-1 home victory at the weekend at home to FC Lahti with the goals coming from Lauri Ala-Myllymäki, Ilari Mettälä and Mikael Almen.

Hoops boss Stephen Bradley expect Ilves to play a similar system to his own team. “They’re very good in transition and have a lot of pace and break really well from defending positions. They’re strong at set plays so they have some really good threats and we have to make sure we’re ready for that. 

“We know what to expect from watching their games. They have some really good attacking attributes in their team so we’ve got to be ready for that.”

This is just the club’s 13th game in Europe with their most most recent European tie coming in the 2018/19 Europa League qualifiers when they lost 3-1 on aggregate to Slavia Sofia.

The club is more renowned back in Finland for their Ice Hockey team – winning 16 domestic titles compared with just the one on the football pitch (and that was back in 1983).

Players to look out for including 18-year-old Naatan Skyttä and Eetu Mömmö who have played well in the league so far this season. More experienced players such as Mika Hilander, Lauri Ala-Myllymäki and Jair will be called upon by head coach Jarkko Wiss as he has a long list of players unavailable due to injury.



One of those includes defender Janne Saksela who scored for RoPS against Rovers in Europe in 2016 but he is among a number of injured players who didn’t travel to Dublin on Wednesday. 

Referee: Michal Ocenas.

MATCH STATS

League of Ireland sides have been drawn against Finnish opposition on five occasions previously but have only won one match (to go with three draws and five defeats). The solitary win for an Irish team came from Drogheda United who beat HJK Helsinki 3-1 at home after a 1-1 draw away (in the UEFA Cup in 2006). 

Both Sligo Rovers and Cork City were drawn against FC Haka. Current Shamrock Rovers Academy Director Shane Robinson spent two seasons with that Finnish club during his playing career.

The last League of Ireland team to play against a team from Finland was Shamrock Rovers back in 2016. Rovers lost the home leg to RoPS 2-0 which precipitated the departure of Pat Fenlon from the club. Stephen Bradley took charge for the second leg that ended 1-1.

Ronan Finn is set to make his 40th appearance in Europe – 23 of those matches were with the Hoops and he holds the all-time appearance record in Europe for a Shamrock Rovers player. He is currently third in the all-time list of appearances behind Ollie Cahill (41) and Garry Rogers (46). Hoops goalkeeper Alan Mannus has made 36 appearances in Europe during his career.

BETTING

Shamrock Rovers 11/10; Draw 23/10; Ilves 21/10

PREDICTION
1-0 home win for the Hoops

Shamrock Rovers 

Injured: Greg Bolger, Sean Kavanagh, Rory Gaffney.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: Lee Grace.

Ilves Tampere 

Injured: Baba Mensah, Janne Saksela, Tiemoko Fofana, Iiro Järvinen ,Janne-Pekka Laine, Emile Paul Tendeng, Maksim Stjopin and Eetu Huuhtanen

Doubtful: None

Suspended: None

 

    About Macdara Ferris

    Macdara Ferris is a contributor since 2007 to Hoops Scene (Shamrock Rovers' match day programme) and is the co-author of two books on Shamrock Rovers - 'Tallaght Time: Shamrock Rovers 2009 to 2012' (with Karl … View Full Profile