Estonian and Finnish Football Champions Meet Tonight
Estonian champion Nõmme Kalju takes on the best of Finland, HJK Helsinki, in the second leg of the second qualifying round of the Champions League in Tallinn tonight.
The first leg in Helsinki ended with a 0-0 draw, meaning that if Kalju manages to win, it will play in the third round, and would be the second Estonian team ever to make it so far in the world's most prestigious club football tournament.
Kalju's head coach Igor Prins has promised to shave off his hair and assistant coach Fredo Getulio Aurelio will dye his blond if Kalju progresses to the next round, the club's website said.
It will not be an easy task, as HJK, 25-time champions of Finland, including in the last four seasons, are in Tallinn in full force, led by striker Mikael Forssell, formerly of Chelsea and Birmingham City and midfielder Teemu Tainio, who has played for Tottenham and Auxerre.
FC Flora and Narva Trans both fell at the first hurdle in their European adventures this year, but FC Levadia beat Bala Town from Wales 3-2 over two games, and will travel to Romania to face Targu Jiu Pandurii for the second round on Thursday, having held the Romanians to a 0-0 draw in Tallinn.
Tonight's game kicks off at 18:30 local time at Kadriorg Stadium.