Ilves Tampere — KuopioPS : Match Preview and Prediction for October 16,2025

Ilves Tampere: Recent Form and Struggles

Looking at the table, we see Ilves in second place, just one point behind the leader. It seems like everything is perfect. But that’s only at first glance. The team from Tampere started to stumble at the most inopportune moment, right before the decisive battle for gold. Two recent matches in the championship group – and not a single victory.First, there was a draw with HJK (2:2), and then a defeat against SJK (1:2). The last game is particularly telling. Ilves possessed the ball for 75% of the time, took 22 shots on goal, but still managed to lose. This points to serious problems with finishing and, possibly, psychological instability in key moments.

Ilves Tampere: Key Absences and Injury Concerns

But the main trouble is the personnel losses after the international break. Coach Joonas Rantanen openly states that many players are returning right before the match. The infirmary is also not empty: key attacking player Oiva Jukkola, who even received a call-up to the national team, is out due to injury. Vincent Ulundu also got injured while with the youth national team. And the participation of the main goalkeeper Otso Virtanen is highly questionable. Add to this that defender Andre Raymond, who played for Trinidad and Tobago, is unlikely to return and recover in time. These are not just problems; these are significant breaches across all lines.

KuopioPS: Resurgent Form and Dominance

KuPS, on the other hand, approaches this match in a completely different state. After a slight September slump, which included a defeat in the Cup final and a loss to Ilves, the team has picked up cruising speed. Their last three matches have been three confident victories with an aggregate score of 10:2. They are back at the top of the table, and it’s no coincidence.Their previous game against Inter in Turku is a prime example of their strength. A 3:0 away win, total superiority in dangerous chances and shots on target (10 vs 4 for the opponent). In terms of expected goals (xG), they outplayed their opponent by more than double: 2.04 vs 0.95. This is the hallmark of a champion who knows how to achieve results.

KuopioPS: Attacking Prowess and Squad Depth

The visitors’ attack is currently on fire. Guinean Mohamed Touré has scored ten goals in the last 12 league matches. And Polish player Piotr Parzyszek is scoring in every championship group game, having also found the net in a Conference League match. Yes, KuPS has a significant loss – their main goalkeeper Johannes Kreidl is suspended due to an accumulation of cards. But their deep squad and experience playing on two fronts, including European competitions, allow them to cope with such difficulties.