Veikkausliiga week 7 - TPS triumph in the capital

Work is pretty busy at the mo, I haven't had much time to do a full blog. Here is a short, short version.

HJK 0-2 TPS

HJK lost their first home league match since August 2010. Two late goals from TPS (Ristola 83min, Riski 90min) ensured their first win at HJK since 1998. Teemu Tainio was sent off for HJK just before half time.  HJK still top, while TPS move up to third.

Tainio receives his marching orders

Highlights of HJK 0-2 TPS

KuPS 1-0 RoPS

A late penalty from Ilja Venäläinen (87mins) gave KuPS a third consecutive win, RoPS have lost all three away games.

Highlights of KuPS 1-0 RoPS

Honka 3-2 JJK

Honka continued their recent good form, now seven points from nine. They went two nil up through Porokara and Kastrati, before JJK pulled back to 2-2 with goals from van Gelderen and Innanen. Yaghoubi got the winner on 55mins for Honka. Honka are 8th, JJK remain bottom with two points from six matches.

Highlights of Honka 3-2 JJK

MYPA 2-0 Lahti

MYPA end the round in second place on thirteen points, after goals from Gela (19mins) and Pekka Sihvola (55mins). Lahti are 11th, with five points (prior to outcome of appeal re RoPS game).

Highlights of MYPA 2-0 Lahti

IFK Mariehamn 1-0 Jaro

Kris Bright's second league goal, bang on half-time, got Mariehamn back into the groove, they sit sixth with 11 points, but only three behind the leaders. Jaro are ninth, and their decent early form feels a long time ago.

Highlights of IFK Mariehamn 1-0 Jaro

Inter 0-0 VPS

The only thing of note was a red card for Inter defender Tuomo Turunen in the first half. Inter are fifth, VPS are fourth. If highlights ever emerge, I'll upload them. In the meantime, here are the teams coming out, with some cheerleaders.

The teams coming out

Veikkausliiga week 6 (part II) - TPS win the derby, HJK leave it late

Part two of our week six round up focuses on Monday night's matches - the Turku derby between TPS and Inter, and Lahti hosting leaders HJK.

TPS 2-1 Inter

The second and third placed teams in 2012 (Inter second, TPS third) had both made indifferent starts to the season. They'd been drawn in the same group of the Liigacup, with a draw and a 5-1 TPS win the outcomes.

 Juho Lähde celebrating the second TPS goal (photo via Vesa-Matti Väärä)

So to the first league meeting of the season. TPS got off to the best possible start, an early goal from Roope Riski was quickly followed by Juho Lähde scoring at the second attempt. 2-0 up after 17 minutes. Inter keeper Bahne kept it at 2-0, before the 'visitors' reduced the deficit just before half-time, Sirbiladze heading in from a corner.

In the second half, Sami Rähmönen received a red card for kicking out at Severi Paajanen, and while both teams had chances to score again, TPS midfielder Wayne Brown saw a poor penalty saved by Bahne.

Sirbiladze has a go (photo via Timo Jerkku)

TPS now have nine points from six matches (three wins, three defeats). Inter have ten points from their six games. TPS travel to Helsinki on Friday, while Inter host VPS.

Highlights of TPS 2-1 Inter

Lahti 0-1 HJK

Despite having mixed expectations at the start of the season, these two sides had also suffered from mixed starts. Lahti's Liigacup win was followed by an administrative error at RoPS, and some dodgy results. HJK had 11 points from five games, but hadn't looked convincing in chucking away a 0-2 lead at Inter, and required poor finishing from Jaro to get a win there.

The visitors made the bold move of leaving Mikael Forssell on the bench, starting with Pohjanpalo, Savage and Zeneli as an attacking three. Lahti's defence looked shaky, the most clear-cut chance came in the first half with Fulham keeper Jesse Joronen (on loan at Lahti) giving a clearance straight to Zeneli, but he and Jolle conspired to mess it up.

Wallen keeps the ball out, with Kari looking

In the second half, Lahti came out with a lot more attacking intent, but wayward finishing and Ville Wallen stood in their way. It was Forssell, who came on for Pohjanpalo on 70mins, who provided the winner, heading in from a well placed corner with 13 minutes left. Fellow sub Nikolai Alho was brought down in the box shortly after, but Joronen saved Forssell's penalty.

 Super-sub Forssell

Lahti had hoped for an attendance of 9000, but the actual gate of just under 4000 was still fairly respectable. They also effectively sit in 11th place, accounting for the forfeit at RoPS, with four points from five matches. HJK are four points clear at the top of the table, with fourteen from six games.

Highlights of Lahti 0-1 HJK