Veikkausliiga week 22 - The return of Morrissey

The recent headlines may have been grabbed by the retirement of Fabrice Muamba, but just as potentially dangerous was the recent diagnosis of myocarditis for VPS striker Steven Morrissey. The Jamaican was diagnosed with the condition in early July, and miraculously returned to action last week with a substitute appearance at home to KuPS. Yet this weekend, he was named in the starting line-up at home to Haka, and made up for lost time. He scored in the first minute of the game after a horrendous error from the Haka keeper, with a second following in the twenty-third minute. He now has eleven league goals for the season - VPS are now sixth, and it's difficult to see where they would be without their number 26. It shows his confidence is in rude health when he tweeted after the game "Should have bin (sic) 3". VPS's Sebastian Strandvall referred to Haka's style of play as destructive, but the defeated side remain two points off the bottom of the table - it's a difficult position to be in, where a more agricultural style could well be more effective.

Morrissey celebrates again

With regard to the battle at the foot of the table, the big movers were KuPS - the only winners in what is now the bottom half, they secured their second victory in a row with a 1-0 home win over Lahti, sealed with a late goal from the club icon Ilja Venäläinen. The main talking point was the red card given to Lahti's German Hendrik Großöhmichen for spitting at Miikka Ilo in the second half. Lahti didn't manage a single shot on target, and are in a poor run of four defeats in their last five games. KuPS are third bottom, and are now only three points behind their visitors. KuPS have another two home games in a row, against JJK and MYPA. Lahti will need to be careful not to be sucked into the relegation scrap. 

Ilja scores for KuPS

The bottom side Jaro were in action at home to TPS on Sunday, and looked like holding on for a scoreless draw before Nigerian Dennis Okaru scored with seventeen minutes left to take the points back to Turku, the goal coming after a Jaro corner which was cleared and Okaru coolly slotted home. Jaro are rooted to the bottom of the table, while TPS are just five points behind leaders and local rivals Inter, with a crucial game in hand (TPS are playing Haka at home this Wednesday, looks like a home banker).

 Jaro v TPS highlights

Leaders Inter Turku had a home match against mid-table Honka on Saturday evening, and after a goalless first half, scored two goals through Irakli Sirbiladze and Pim Bouwman (with a lovely free kick after being fouled on the edge of the box), and a late goal from Tim Väyrynen couldn't make a difference, and the leaders extended their lead to four points. 

Pim Bouwman of Inter

Their nearest challengers are the champions HJK, whose recent form has been poor (seeing them knocked out of the Champions League, and with a big Europa League tie coming up against Athletic Bilbao). But HJK were professional in dealing with the visitors from JJK, two goals in the first half making the difference (Mannstrom and a penalty from Väyrynen). HJK are on 37 points from 22 games, a record they now share with IFK Mariehamn - defeated on Monday night at MYPA. 

HJK v JJK highlights

The hosts won their third consecutive game, goals from Olajide Williams and another from Pekka Sihvola gave MYPA a two goal lead, before a reply from Aleksei Kangaskolkka made it a nervy finale. But the game finished 2-1, IFK lost more ground on first place, and MYPA go fifth, still with a good chance of returning to European competition in 2013.

With the attentions moving to the opening games in England and Spain, the Veikkausliiga continues to provide drama. The midweek game will have a big bearing on the table, and Honka will finally learn their opponent in the Suomen Cup final next week. HJK face a huge test against beaten Europa League finalists Bilbao this week.

Veikkausliiga week 21 - TPS win local bragging rights

Whoever is in charge of fixture scheduling at the Finnish FA deserves an Oscar. The games were spread out, and the main drama was saved for Sunday afternoon.

The opening game of the round kicked off in Jyväskylä, with MYPA defeating the hosts JJK by 3-0 and are up to fifth place in the table. The star of the show was Pekka Sihvola with a second-half hat-trick, and he's now on nine goals for the season. This was only MYPA's second league win since the end of June, a period which also saw them exit the Europa League. Fellow European campaigners JJK are left in ninth place, with a five point cushion down to tenth, but not a comfortable lead.

Treble for Sihvola

The other Saturday game featured third place Mariehamn at home to strugglers Jaro, and the home win was always on the cards, with a 2-0 scoreline the result. Goals in each half, from Willhelm Ingves and Patrik Byskata took the home team up to second place, three points ahead of champions HJK who were playing on Sunday.

So to Sunday, and to Lahti. The defending champions from Helsinki were eliminated from the Champions League by Celtic, and handed a tough draw in the Europa League versus last year's finalists Athletic Bilbao. They were four points behind leaders Inter Turku and needed a win to keep their chances of qualification for the European Cup for 2013. Lahti had been in poor form, losing their last three games, but they turned the title race on it's head with a stunning 3-0 victory. Three goals in nineteen minutes made the difference, and not many people would believe that there is now only a six point gap between the teams. Lahti's next two games are against KuPS and Haka, and there's a good chance that gap could be smaller.

The leaders Inter knew what they had to do. Win their match, and they'd be seven points ahead of HJK, and four ahead of Mariehamn. But the match was away to neighbours TPS, and to use the old cliché, the form book goes out of the window. Inter started well, and took the lead with a twentieth goal from French forward Guy Gnabouyou. One nil down at half time, Marko Rajamäki must have given one hell of a team talk, and the league cup winners flew out of the blocks. Aleksi Ristola equalised after 49 minutes, Petteri Pennanen put the hosts in front, and two goals from Mikko Hyyrynen sealed the three points. TPS move to fourth, just five points behind their local rivals, game in hand... Inter hold a one point lead over Mariehamn, but have three home games in a row to come.

TPS celebrate their victory

Highlights

Sunday's other matches held importance of their own. VPS hosted a KuPS side still smarting from their 6-0 drubbing in Turkey. Several changes were made, however the visitors took all three points thanks to a late goal from Ilja Venäläinen, who came on at half time. KuPS leap-frog Jaro, while VPS sit in seventh, still only eight points behind the leaders. Jamaican striker Steven Morrissey made his return after heart-related problems as a first half substitute, VPS will be hoping he will bring goals to bring a push for a European place.

The final match of the round saw Honka entertain Haka. The goals were shared equally in Espoo, but Honka will be disappointed to concede a late goal, Jonne Hjelm rescuing a point for Haka, who are two points off the bottom. Haka face two more away games, at VPS and TPS. Of note, Tim Väyrynen scored his eighth goal of the season, and seven of these have been Honka's opening goal, a fantastic statistic showing how vital he is to them. The highlights were entertaining, and are shown below.

Highlights of Honka 2-2 Haka