Scoutmania

Finnish champion team KuPS hosted its opening European clash against Moldova’s gold medalists FC Milsami Orhei in the Väre Areena (Kuopio, Finland). The Yellow-Blacks can travel to Moldova with a narrow but valuable 1-0 win.

2025/2026 UEFA Champions League First qualifying round. The pre-match predictions for the Veikkausliiga 2024 (highest tier in Finland) winners KuPS has indicated a promising chance, as they collected seven points of the last three league matches; Moldovan guest team FC Milsami Orhei is also in competitive play, as the 2025/2026 Moldovan Liga has started (here you can find an article about one of the team’s away games, against FC Politehnica UTM), but they arrived to Finland with a 1-2 home defeat vs Sheriff Tiraspol – so all their attention was focused on this match.

KuPS, led by coach Jarkko Wiss, started this game in 4-2-3-1 formation. It was no surprise, that the main focus was on a confident, ball possession based play, and to take the initiative and the control. The defense and the midfield section was well-organized; Austrian goalkeeper Johannes Kreidl did not have to make any special save or block. Ivorian right centre-back Ibrahim Cissé stood out with his exceptional performance, as well as the homegrown young attacking midfielder Otto Ruoppi. With this organized team play, they have good chance to keep the aggregate lead, and to qualify themselves to the next round.

FC Milsami Orhei, led by the Moldovan-Russian expert Igor Picuşceac, also started in 4-2-3-1 formation, with Zambian born Norwegian striker Kabamba Kalabatama up front. In terms of defending, it was visible that the team made attempts for setting up off-side traps. A tactical change happened in the middle of the first half when Malian left winger Sibiry Keita and French-Moroccan right winger Nabil Khali switched their sides. Former Moldovan senior international goalkeeper Emil Tîmbur demonstrated outstanding goalkeeping performance, not only for his great saves. Sorin Chele‘s play (left winger / was substituted on in the 60th minute) definitely gave massive boost for the team’s offense.

The game’s only one and decisive hit came up in the 73rd minute, when KuPS attacking midfielder Otto Ruoppi found the opposition net by his brilliant left-footed volley. Although the VAR system was checking the goal for a short time, it was awarded, so this made the final score 1-0.

(The fantastic left-footed strike of KuPS midfielder Otto Ruoppi)

The 2nd leg will be played in the 15th of July (19:00 CET), in the Complexul Sportiv Raional Orhei.

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