- Team form: Ilves are the slight favorite for this Veikkausliiga 2026 matchup with FF Jaro.
- Recent run: Jaro have failed to win any of their last 5 matches, D1, L4.
- Head-to-head: Ilves have won their last 3 meetings with Jaro, including a 5-0 away win 10 days ago.
Ilves have the edge in the head-to-head
Ilves Tampere are the favorites to take all three points at Pietarsaaren keskuskenttae, Finland when they face FF Jaro in a meeting between two Veikkausliiga 2026 strugglers on Saturday. The visitors arrive in slightly better shape than their hosts with three wins, one draw and one defeat from their last five matches in all competitions.
Joni Lehtonen has done a decent job since taking over as head coach on 1 January 2026, keeping Ilves' system ticking over and their results respectable. But they are yet to get an away win in Veikkausliiga 2026 after seven trips, with three draws and four defeats.
Jaro have a pragmatic blueprint and are the sort of team that can play in any number of shapes, such as a 4-3-3, 3-4-3 or 4-4-2 system. Jens Karlsson has been in charge since 1 January 2026 and the team are still trying to find their shape as they shift around like a game of musical chairs.
Jaro are a mixed bag
Momentum and psychology
Jaro's confidence will be wobbling after that run and Ilves have the psychological edge as well as the better recent form. The visitors have won the last three meetings of these two and hammered Jaro 5-0 away ten days ago, but we think the home crowd and pitch should make this a tougher game than that.
Playing styles and players
Ilves play a more structured and high-tempo game, pressing and getting bodies on the ball in wide areas, while Jaro are more of a team that hit in transition and adapt to the situation.
We're taking Ilves to edge a competitive game in this spot, although it will be tight at home for Jaro, who sit 11th with eight points from 14 games, to Ilves' 16 points in 8th. An Ilves win is the slight selection at 2.02, with Jaro 3.22 and the draw 3.6. Under 3.5 goals also looks like it could fit, depending on whether Jaro can keep it tight at the back.
- Ilves have scored 1.57 goals per game on average and conceded 2.71 on the road this season, which is why the odds-on favorite tag looks about right for this game.
- Jaro have not won any of their last 5 in all competitions, with a 5-0 defeat to Ilves, a 1-1 home draw with IF Gnistan and a 3-2 defeat to TPS.
- Jardell Kanga is Ilves' danger man with eight Veikkausliiga 2026 goals, seven of which have come in their last 5.
- Herman Sjoegrell has three goals in 13 for Jaro, the most of any player on their squad, and has scored two of their six goals in the last 5 games.
