Motherwell vs HJK predictions and betting tips | Can Steelmen complete job?

Our Motherwell vs HJK predictions look ahead to Thursday’s clash at Fir Park. After a 1-1 draw in the first leg, will Motherwell reach the next round of Conference League qualifying?

Motherwell vs HJK head to head overview

• Date: Thursday 13th August.
• Kick-off: 7.30pm.
• Venue: Fir Park, Motherwell, Scotland.
• Where to watch: Not being shown live in the UK.

Motherwell vs HJK quick tips

• Motherwell – 3/4 with Unibet
• Under 2.5 goals – 10/11 with SBK
• Tawanda Maswanhise to score any time – 7/4 with Tote

Motherwell vs HJK predictions

This Conference League third qualifying round tie is hanging in the balance ahead of the second leg on Thursday.

A 1-1 draw in Helsinki last week leaves Motherwell and HJK neck-and-neck going into the return fixture at Fir Park.

Home advantage in the second match perhaps gives Motherwell the edge, but nothing can be taken for granted with at least 90 minutes of football still to play.

A fourth-place finish in the Scottish Premiership was a fine achievement for Motherwell last term, not least because Jens Berthel Askou’s side played some tremendous football along the way.

But Askou departed for Toulouse over the summer, leaving Alfred Johansson with big shoes to fill.

The new manager has had a solid start, overseeing a 2-1 victory over Hibernian and a 0-0 draw with Falkirk at the start of the Premiership campaign.

Motherwell breezed past HB in the Conference League second qualifying round, but they still have work to do to reach the tournament proper.

Even a victory here would not get Motherwell over the line just yet, with a final play-off round scheduled for later this month. But a win against HJK would move them one step closer to achieving their first objective of the 2026/27 campaign.

Motherwell vs HJK tips

Will Motherwell advance to the Conference League play-offs, or will HJK come out on top on Thursday?

Who will triumph?

Motherwell took the lead through a Tawanda Maswanhise penalty in the first leg, before Teemu Pukki levelled things up for HJK soon after.

It was a fair result after an even game at the Bolt Arena, but Motherwell will feel they have enough to finish the job on Thursday.

Playing the second leg at home is an advantage and Motherwell should be able to make the most of it against a team that lost in the second qualifying round of the Conference League last year.

The Finnish season started in April, so Motherwell should be fresher than their opponents too.

Tip Motherwell to win at 3/4 with Unibet

Another low-scoring affair

There were only two goals in the first meeting between HJK and Motherwell, so we should not expect an open, end-to-end encounter at Fir Park.

The stakes are even higher now than they were in the first leg, which could encourage more risk-averse play.

Fortune does not always favour the brave in football, and neither manager will want to see their side play with reckless abandon.

Motherwell drew 0-0 last weekend and HJK beat AC Oulu 1-0. Do not expect a festival of goals in North Lanarkshire as both sides strive to progress to the play-offs.

Go for under 2.5 goals at 10/11 with SBK

Maswanhise vs Pukki up front

Tawanda Maswanhise and Teemu Pukki were the goalscorers in the first leg and they will be the principal goal threats for their respective teams in the return fixture too.

Maswanhise is our pick to find the back of the net. He had a fantastic season at Fir Park last time out, finishing as the Scottish Premiership’s top scorer with 17 goals.

Motherwell have managed to keep hold of Maswanhise so far, and that is a huge boost to their chances of another successful season.

The Zimbabwe international will be a thorn in the side of the HJK defence in the second leg.

Back Tawanda Maswanhise to score any time at 7/4 with Tote

Motherwell vs HJK predicted lineups

• Motherwell expected lineup: Poulsen; Longelo, Mormann, Girdwood-Reich, Sparrow; Fadinger, Priestman; Charles-Cook, Lowry, Vogt; Maswanhise.
• HJK expected lineup: Markovic; Montano, Sissoko, Tikkanen, Ulitolva; Mentu, Ring; Meller, Mero, Haarala; Borkers.

Motherwell vs HJK latest odds

Find the latest Motherwell vs HJK betting odds here. All odds are provided by our recommended football bookmakers and are subject to change.

• Motherwell: 3/4 with Unibet
• Draw: 27/10 with SBK
• HJK: 10/3 with Tote

More Conference League predictions

We have plenty more Conference League predictions and picks – find our latest betting tips from expert punters in our match preview overview.

Important historical facts about Motherwell vs HJK for betting

Unsurprisingly, last week’s clash between Motherwell and HJK was the first time the two teams have ever played each other. Motherwell are striving to reach a European competition proper for the first time since 2008/09.

• Last meeting: Thursday 6th August; HJK 1-1 Motherwell

About the author

Greg Lea

Greg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.

Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootball

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