HJK vs Silkeborg

Bolt Arena is the venue as HJK Helsinki and Silkeborg go head-to-head in the first leg of their Europa League qualifying playoff tie.

After bowing out to Czech Republic heavyweights Plzen in the Champions League second qualifying round, HJK Helsinki eased past Slovenian champions Maribor 3-0 on aggregate in the previous Europa League qualifying tie (2-0 A, 1-0 H). Seeking their first Europa League group stage appearance since 2014/15, HJK will be looking to improve their negative all-time continental record against Danish clubs (W1, L2). An impressive run of four wins from their last five competitive home outings comes in handy (L1). Yet, it’s worth noting that three of those four triumphs yielded an identical 1-0 scoreline, highlighting the potential for a cagey, low-scoring affair.

In the meantime, Silkeborg, who finished 3rd in the Danish Superliga last season, are entering the competition in the playoff round, aiming to qualify for a European tournament group phase for the first time in the 21st century. Despite losing 2-0 away to domestic rivals Viborg, they have enjoyed a stellar start to the season, recording three consecutive league triumphs before that defeat. Interestingly, each of Silkeborg’s four competitive results (win/loss) this season has featured a two-goal margin. But the Danes’ sloppy defence could prove a major roadblock to their road to the Europa League group stages, with Kent Nielsen failing to keep a clean sheet across their last 11 competitive away trips.