Veikkausliiga week 9: HJK are pants, Honka truck on

A full Sunday schedule, here's the lowdown.

HJK 2-0 RoPS

The champions returned to the top of the table, and snapped away from two defeats in a row, with a routine win over RoPS, who'd only won one game in their last seventeen away Veikkausliiga matches.

Thank the maker he had pants on (photos via Ilta-Sanomat)

Goals in each half from Demba Savage (23mins) and Robin Lod (53mins) sealed the points, but yet again the weirder side of Finnish football has made it big on the World Wide Web. In the second half, while HJK were on the attack, a gent called Jussi Aalto decided it'd be a good time to strip to his pants and run onto the pitch.

Highlights of HJK 2-0 RoPS

Rasmus Schüller put the ball into the net, the goal was disallowed, but it was a splendid tackle by Mathias Lindström which brought the biggest cheer. Aalto had previously disrupted JJK's bronze medal celebration in 2011 - the oxygen of publicity. Hopefully he's not the next Jimmy Jump.

Pants

Either way, HJK go top with seventeen points from nine games. RoPS made it one win in eighteen away games, and are tenth (they'd be seventh when taking their Lahti 'win' into account).

KuPS 1-2 Honka

Honka's good form continued with a good win against a KuPS side who were also on a decent run. A replay of the 2012 Suomen Cup final, the visitors got off to a great start with a second minute goal from Kastriot Kastrati. It was his fifth goal in five matches, and just as crucial.

Colley gets in the way (photo via Vartaloharhautus)

Poacher Ilja Venäläinen's fifth goal of the season after seventeen minutes gave KuPS hope of a comeback... But it was the returning Tim Väyrynen, making only his second sub appearance, who scored the winner with a clever volley, just seven minutes after coming on.

Highlights of KuPS 1-2 Honka

Honka are fifth now, recovering well from a rotten start, with thirteen points out of fifteen. KuPS are eighth with eleven points from nine games.

Jaro 1-1 TPS

TPS were still playing catch-up after a mixed start to the season, and their visit to Jaro started well - a terrific solo goal from Mika Ääritalo after 2 minutes was ideal. He was then sent off after seventy minutes, receiving his second yellow card.

Winchester keeps TPS at bay (photo via Vasabladet)

But Jaro had been playing well, despite some mixed results. It was young Trinidadian striker Shahdon Winchester who scored an equaliser with nine minutes left, turning and shooting from the edge of the area. He'd scored his first league goal in the win at Lahti in midweek, and he's making a difference after recovering from a hernia. Two terrific goals in two league games for the youngster.

Highlights of Jaro 1-1 TPS

Jaro are ninth with eleven points from eight games, but only six behind HJK with a game in hand. TPS are sixth, thirteen points from eight games.

Inter 3-1 JJK

Improving Inter stepped it up with a good win at home to JJK. Inter opened the scoring after six minutes, a neat finish from Tamas Gruborovics against his old club. As is often the trend, he didn't celebrate...

Fancy footwork (photo via Jari Laurikko)

Babatunde Wusu equalised against the run of play nine minutes later, Inter's defence slow to react to a hopeful through-ball. Another smart finish, by Guy Gnabouyou, put Inter back in front before half-time. JJK had chances to level, but the pick of the goals came in the final minute, Kalle Kauppi curling in from outside the box.

Highlights of Inter 3-1 JJK

JJK remain rock bottom, with three points from eight matches, while Inter are third with fourteen points from nine games.

IFK Mariehamn 2-2 Lahti

Lahti needed a late equaliser to salvage a valuable point - but they had to equalise twice. Kris Bright gave the Islanders the lead just before half-time. Jussi Länsitalo scored in the second game in a row to make it 1-1 just after an hour.

Phil Jones has serious competition (photo via ESS.fi)

Brazilian Diego Assis scored a cute goal with six minutes left, Mariehamn were 2-1 up, and looked set for the win. But a fellow Brazilian, substitute Vini Dantas, recovered from his midweek flu to score a second equaliser with four minutes left, and made it 2-0.

 

Highlights of IFK Mariehamn 2-2 Lahti

IFK Mariehamn are seventh in the table, with twelve points from nine matches. Lahti have six points from eight games, but that's likely to become five points.

MYPA 3-0 VPS

VPS, conquerors of HJK, fell to a MYPA side who moved into second place in the table.

 Sihvola celebrates again (photo via Vasabladet)

Pekka Sihvola (who else?) scored twice, the first on 23 minutes, followed two minutes later by a neatly flicked header from Tommi Vesala. Sihvola's second, slightly fortunate, rounded off the scoring with six minutes to go, taking him clear at the top of the scoring charts with six goals.

Highlights of MYPA 3-0 VPS

MYPA have sixteen points from eight matches, while VPS drop to fourth, with fourteen points from their eight matches.

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The next round of fixtures are played on Wednesday 29th May, and are as follows:

TPS v IFK Mariehamn

KuPS v Inter

RoPS v MYPA

JJK v HJK

Honka v Lahti

VPS v Jaro

The games all kick off at 1630 BST

Veikkausliiga week 8 - VPS go top, Honka continue upwards

A rarity this week - being able to watch two matches at the same time. Five matches on Thursday, here's what happened.

HJK 1-2 VPS

Another shock result in Helsinki, and things aren't so rosy. HJK hadn't lost a home league game since August 2010 - they've now lost two in a row. TPS on Friday, VPS on Thursday.

 Robin Lod tries to keep the ball from Bjork (photo via Lehtikuva)

Missing the suspended Teemu Tainio, and leaving Mikael Forssell on the bench again, HJK looked comfortable with a Joel Pohjanpalo goal after nine minutes, thanks to an outlandish back-heel from Demba Savage. But the changes seemed to knock the champions out of their stride, and they got stung by goals from Ameobi (pea roller from edge of the box, 52mins) and Strandvall (nice finish from layoff, 72mins). Ameobi even hit the post in the dying seconds.

VPS move top of the table on goal difference, fourteen points from seven matches. HJK are also on fourteen, but from eight games.

 A very young looking Pohjanpalo struggles with Smith (photo via Antti Aimo-Koivisto)

The pressure is rising against new coach Sixten Boström, as the "HJK in crisis" headlines are already being typed. The real test will be in Europe, but they could be accused of taking their eye off the ball... 

VPS meanwhile, tipped by many to struggle (including me), have made a cracking start. Will Ameobi prove to be the striker they needed? Early signs are good, and their first win at HJK since 1962 will bode well.

Highlights of HJK 1-2 VPS

Honka 2-1 IFK Mariehamn

The second meeting of the clubs within three days ended with the same score, but the result went the other way. While IFK Mariehamn prevailed in the cup tie, Honka's recent league improvement continued here.

 Saarinen and Thompson compete (photo via Vesa Moilanen)

Two goals in the first thirteen minutes won it, Ruben Palazuelos' first goal in Finland was followed by Youness Rahimi's goal. The visitors, missing the injured Petteri Forsell, got a consolation goal by Dever Orgill (who scored Monday's winner). There were also five yellow cards in the game.

Honka are now in seventh place, having won three of their last four games. Mariehamn meanwhile only have one win in five, and will struggle to replace Forsell, who may not play again before returning to Turkey.

Highlights of Honka 2-1 IFK Mariehamn

Lahti 1-2 FF Jaro

It took over 400 minutes of Veikkausliiga for Lahti to score a league goal - but they chucked it away. Jaro even gave them a man advantage, Mathias Kullström taking two bookings in five minutes, getting the red on 35 minutes.

 Entanglement (photo via Antti Sepponen)

Jussi Länsitalo headed in his second goal of the season after 67 minutes, and it looked like they'd be heading for only their second win. But Trinidadian forward Shahdon Winchester scored a brilliant first league goal for Jaro with thirteen minutes left (Jesse Joronen won't enjoy seeing it again), and Hendrik Helmke scored the winner in injury time with a superb free kick.

Jaro sit ninth after their win, but only four points behind the leaders. Lahti have only five points from seven games, and this is likely to change to four. They're repeating their early season form of 2012, and the lack of goals is worrying. Their close season recruitment seemed to miss one key area.

I'm having trouble embedding the highlights of the game, but you can watch them by clicking here, which will take you to the ESS (Etelä-Suomen Sanomat) website. The Jaro goals are well worth watching.

RoPS 1-0 Inter

RoPS got back to winning ways in the league with a tight match against Inter, who had won the last six meetings between the two clubs. There was a minute's silence in memory of former KuPS (and Manchester United) player Brian Greenhoff, who died on Wednesday.

In memory of former England international Brian Greenhoff (photo via FC Inter)

The key moment of the game took place on 28 minutes - Babacar Diallo brought down Aleksandr Kokko in the area, received a red card, while Kokko dusted himself down to score the only goal of the match.

RoPS sit tenth with ten points (however they're due an extra 2 points for the Lahti match), while Inter are sixth, with eleven points.

Highlights of RoPS 1-0 Inter

JJK 0-0 KuPS

The live Urho match really wasn't worth paying for... This was billed as the Respect match, but that was the highlight. Both teams had injury problems, but had progressed in their Suomen Cup quarter-finals, and this will be the semi-final in August.

A rare chance for Wusu

This dress rehearsal saw several goalmouth scrambles and half chances, and while KuPS keeper Hilander made the more crucial saves, there was little chance of a goal. Ninety minutes passed, and ended without a score.

JJK remain bottom with three points from seven games, while KuPS sit fifth with eleven points from eight matches.

Highlights of JJK 0-0 KuPS

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I'll be adding further highlights as they become available.