Week 30 in the Veikkausliiga threatened be just as unpredictable as the rest of the season. The top of the table has been close, and it seems like the team at the top gets stage-fright and drops points, allowing the rest of the pack to catch up. Inter were threatening to run away with the title, but their form between internationals was played 6, won 1, drew 4, lost 1, for just seven points. Over the same period, HJK took twelve points, and TPS thirteen.
As it was, the fixtures for all three were about as kind as they could, almost designed to keep things steady going into the latest FIFA enforced break. TPS at home to a JJK. Inter at home to a fading Mariehamn. HJK hosting cup winners Honka. All three games ended 1-0 to the home team.
Demba Savage celebrates HJK's winner against Honka
HJK struggled their way to their victory, where perhaps the pressure of needing to win weighed heavily. A bad-tempered game saw six yellow cards, but it was a goal from Demba Savage against his former club (his eleventh of the season) that kept HJK's noses in front. In the interests of fairness, I've embedded Honka's highlights of the game...
Highlights of HJK 1-0 Honka
Second placed Inter were facing IFK Mariehamn, who not long ago had title ambitions of their own... Inter's form was rotten, although IFK's wasn't any better (one win in five). An early goal from the Goal King to be Irakli Sirbiladze was enough to give Inter the win, but it's safe to say that IFK keeper Simon Nurme will be having nightmares about the goal for a while... Inter face a tricky match away to strugglers Haka next, and will have to deal with a lot more resistance.
An embarrassed Sirbiladze celebrates his winner
Highlights of Inter 1-0 IFK
Inter's local rivals TPS opened the weekend with their home match against JJK, who had won the previous meetings between the two in 2012... But TPS have a title to fight for this time, and Dennis Okaru's eighth goal of the season secured a vital home win. Dennis gave an interview to UrhoTV about his dream of playing for Real Madrid, and while it may be a distant hope, he's doing his bit to get some silverware.
The Turku crowd go wild
Highlights of TPS 1-0 JJK
Without meaning to gloss over the rest of the league too much, MYPA drew 1-1 with VPS in a mid-table match, where nothing particularly exciting or controversial happened...
The two clubs fighting to avoid relegation were both in action, Haka at KuPS and Jaro at home to in-form Lahti. Haka went 1-0 up and were looking great value for an unlikely win through Juha Pirinen's first half goal, but KuPS virtually preserved their own Veikkausliiga status with an 88th minute equaliser by Pietari Holopainen (two in two games now!). Haka now remain on 26 points...
Jaro are three points clear of Haka, thanks to a 2-1 win over Lahti, who had won 5 of their last 6 games. Lahti took the lead through Drilon Shila in the first half, but Jaro came from behind to secure a huge victory through Papa Niang and Frank Jonke. Jaro's recent form has been good, with just one defeat in six.
Highlights of Jaro 2-1 Lahti
And so to week 31. Not too many of the contenders were involved in international action, and matches resume this Friday (19th). Leaders HJK travel to VPS, Inter are at Haka, and TPS go to Mariehamn. Jaro will look to virtually confirm their stay in the top flight by travelling to JJK, and Lahti could go as high as fourth with a win over MYPA.
Three games to go, could this be the week that says goodbye to Haka, or almost crown HJK? Friday night football is on the menu, and the weekend begins here.
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