Veikkausliiga week 28 - HJK show their true colours

In the previous review of action, we covered the possibility of a four-horse race for the Finnish title. Well this midweek, we've seen the first change of leadership in the title race in over a month, and it was the 2011 champions who have got their noses in front, with five matches remaining.

The midweek visitors to Helsinki were KuPS, fresh from a weekend win over MYPA, and with an eye on their weekend Cup Final against Honka, conveniently in the same stadium. HJK started the day two points behind Inter Turku, having drawn 1-1 with them on Sunday. HJK made seven changes to the starting line-up, and the changes were evident in the final score.

Demba Savage opened the scoring in the 16th minute after Rasmus Schüller took advantage of lazy KuPS defending. From then on, it was the turn of Akseli Pelvas to take the stage. Pelvas hadn't scored since the 3-3 draw with VPS in early August, but here he scored three times - a goals after 27, 46 and a 90th minute penalty to take his league total for the season to eight goals. An 88th minute goal from Dudu won't have done much to ease KuPS. The 4-1 result leaves them in tenth place, but other results may have them looking nervously. We'll cover the top of the table later...

Akseli Pelvas celebrates his third goal

Highlights of HJK 4-1 KuPS

Meanwhile, at the bottom... The momentum has shifted hugely - bottom club Jaro, who have been bottom of the table for most of the season, entertained the other cup finalists Honka. But Jaro managed their first win in nine games - a first half goal from Papa Niang proved the winner. Jaro's two recent signings Sherif Ashraf and former Liverpool youth captain Steven Irwin have settled in well, Jaro have yet to lose with them in the team. Honka are left in eighth place, with a lot of work left to do if they're to finish in the top half of the table, and earn the extra home match next season.

Highlights of Jaro 1-0 Honka

The big losers of Jaro's win were Haka. They were away to MYPA, and knew that with KuPS' victory at the weekend, points were vital. Haka were without a victory under new coach Juha Malinen, who was appointed in the wake of the 9-2 defeat to TPS. Haka were holding on until the 82nd minute, when MYPA substitute Sasha Anttilainen earned three deserved points. Haka are now bottom of the table on 24 points, two points behind Jaro, and five behind KuPS. Haka haven't won since the last meeting with MYPA in mid-July, and have the hardest run-in of the three with home matches against HJK and Inter to come. It doesn't look good, but the next five games could yet provide more surprise.

The title outsider IFK Mariehamn were at home to Lahti, and perhaps the home fans thought they may keep pace with the leaders after Aleksei Kangaskolkka opened the scoring after barely 20 seconds. But Lahti came back fighting, showing the spirit that had won them their last four league games, and goals from captain Mikko Hauhia and Ariel Ngueukam gave them a half-time lead. But a 70th minute goal from Bosnian Ermin Gadžo levelled the match at 2-2. Ngueukam was sent off for a second booking, and the match finished 2-2. Lahti's late season form continues to keep them in the top half of the table, albeit with a negative goal difference.

Ngueukam challenges Gadžo

Highlights of IFKM 2-2 Lahti

The pre-match leaders Inter faced another away game in Jyväskylä, after their hard fought draw against HJK at the weekend. JJK have been hovering in the bottom half of the table for most of the season, and have been doing just enough to keep ahead of the relegation battle. Inter dominated as expected, Mika Ojala with the best chance. But a 0-0 draw was the outcome, and Inter coach Job Dragtsma could not hide his disappointment at the end that they could not score.

The final match was TPS v VPS in Turku. TPS needed to win to keep up with HJK and Inter, while VPS had lost three of the previous four, and were falling behind in their bid to finish in the top half. The first half was goalless, but the match was decided by Dennis Okaru in the 66th minute, a near-post finish after a clever pass by substitute Mikko Hyyrynen. Okaru's 7th league goal of the season was enough, and left TPS just a point behind HJK and Inter. VPS are currently seventh, on 39 points with a goal difference of +1.

Goalscorer Dennis Okaru

Highlights of TPS 1-0 VPS

That pretty much leaves the title race as below:

HJK              P28              Pts 51          GD +22

Inter              P28              Pts 51          GD +19

TPS              P28              Pts 50           GD +24

IFK               P28              Pts 46          GD +8

TPS's goal difference, bloated by the nine goals scored against Haka, is the superior, but they still have a match against Inter, although a final day match at home to Jaro may give them a clear idea of what they'll need to do, if they are still competing.

HJK have three away games, but no matches against the rest of the top five. But they need to ensure they keep an eye on the goal difference in case of any slip ups.

Inter still have tricky fixtures in TPS and Mariehamn, a home game with KuPS, and have to travel to Haka and Honka.

Five games left, five more weeks of twists and turns.

Veikkausliiga week 27 - Back to four contenders?

After the international break, league football resumed with the top and bottom places still to be decided, and this weekend there were matches between first and second, and first bottom and second bottom.

Starting at the foot of the table, the match between Haka and Jaro was never destined to be a classic - the home side hadn't won a match since mid July, while Jaro's form had picked up with draws against HJK in Helsinki, and against KuPS. In the driving rain, there was effort from both sides with no end result, although both sides had chances. Jaro coach Alexei Eremenko said he was happy with the result, but won't be happy that Maksim Vasilev was sent off in the second half for two yellow cards.

Alexei Eremenko looking casual on the sidelines

A point for both sides was made to look worse by the result in Kuopio, where KuPS defeated MYPA 2-0. KuPS were in recent danger of being sucked back into the relegation fight, falling into the usual trap of almost focusing on the Cup (they play Honka in the final next weekend). They have stretched the gap over Jaro to six points (the lead over Haka is five points) with six matches remaining. After a goalless first half, Pyry Kärkkäinen scored after 57 minutes. MYPA almost equalised through Olajide Williams, before substitute Dudu made the points safe. KuPS still have tricky fixtures remaining, visiting HJK on Wednesday, and hosting Inter Turku a week later.

Kuismala fishes the ball out of the net (photo courtesy of Futisblogi Puoliaika)

KuPS's Suomen Cup opponents Honka were in action on Saturday, hosting a TPS side who still had a realistic title chance after their dramatic comeback against Inter last week. Only 867 people turned out for the match, and again saw a goalless first half. The deciding goal was scored with a header from Dennis Okaru just after the hour, and just after Honka had been reduced to ten men after Yaghoubi was sent off for a second booking. Honka remain in eighth place, while TPS move to 47 points, and within three points of neighbours (and leaders) Inter.

Highlights of Honka 0-1 TPS

While TPS are in third place and definitely in contention, IFK Mariehamn have slowly been creeping their way back into the title race. A few weeks ago, they hit a rough patch of form, but have since won eight points from twelve with a win away to VPS, on a windy day in Vaasa. Mattias Wiklöf scored twice in each half to give IFKM a 2-0 lead, and Tommy Wirtanen scored his first goal since his move from Örebro to make it 3-0 with a good counter-attack. Prolific Jamaican striker Steven Morrissey scored a consolation goal for VPS, but the match finished 1-3. IFKM are now on 45 points, only five points behind Inter, who they visit on Octover 8th. VPS have now lost three of their last four matches, remain on 39 points, and they're unlikely to reach the Europa League as a result.

Highlights of VPS 1-3 IFK Mariehamn

JJK visited Lahti on Sunday, for a match which may have a big bearing on next season. The first half saw no goals, but a yellow card for each team, before Mikko Hauhia scored for Lahti after 54 minutes. Eero Markkenen equalised a minute later for JJK, his first goal in two months. But Lahti took the three points with a late goal by Hietanen. Lahti rise to sixth place with the win, JJK remain in ninth. With the league structure as it is, finishing in the top six brings the benefit of an extra home match next season (see this article by Egan Richardson which explains more), so the win for Lahti could mean more than just a late season boost.

Match-winner Konsta Hietanen

And so the top of the table clash. Champions HJK at home to leaders Inter Turku at a wet and windy Sonera Stadium. Inter threw away a 3-1 lead at home to TPS the previous week, ending with a 3-3 draw. HJK had won four of the last five matches. With six matches remaining afterwards, an Inter win would result in a five point lead... An HJK win would take them top for the first time in weeks.

Some wild shooting dominated the opening exchanges, but Inter scored first, a free kick launched into the box was diverted in via the head of Juho Mäkelä, although the HJK TV director went easy and awarded it to Joni Kauko... Inter then had the ball in the net again, but was correctly ruled out for offside. HJK equalised in the 61st minute, a free kick taken on the right wing flew into the goal. Rasmus Schüller was the scorer, and claimed he meant it, although he couldn't have expected Inter goalkeeper Stef Doedee to flap underneath it.

Highlights of HJK 1-1 Inter

Both sides had chances to win afterwards, but some good goalkeeping and poor finishing saw the match end 1-1. Inter are on 50 points from 27 games, HJK on 48 points. Both sides have a goal difference of +19, while TPS are on 47 points with a goal difference of +23, courtesy of the freak 9-2 scoreline against Haka last month. IFKM are on 45 points, a goal difference of +9.

(See the Escape To Suomi Twitter this week for a chance to win an official ETS mug)