Veikkausliiga week 29 - Lahti catching up

A matchweek spread from Friday to Monday - very nice. Quick summary of all six matches here. Apologies for taking so long, but I got Grand Theft Auto 5, and despite my hints, I still have no way of watching Kutonen games in the UK.

MYPA 0-1 Lahti

One manager taking over from another - with Juha Malinen leaving Lahti to take over at RoPS, MYPA coach Toni Korkeakunnas has agreed to take over at Lahti for 2014. Perhaps there's no better way to please his new masters by giving them a shot at a top half finish (with an extra home match that comes with it).

Diving in (photo via Lukas Pearsall)

 The travelling Lahti fans braving the weather (photo via Lukas Pearsall)

The only goal came in the 65th minute, Jean Ngambe Ngambe slotting home from close range through a sea of legs. It meant that Lahti's recent run of form in the last three months is P17 W11 L6. MYPA meanwhile are falling away from a European place, with only the Fair Play spot to hope for (they're currently second behind HJK). Their new manager will have their work cut out.

Highlights of MYPA 0-1 Lahti

MYPA are fifth, with 40 points from 29 games. Lahti are sixth, with 39 points from 29 matches.

Honka 3-3 JJK

Monday night's game was key at both ends of the table - Honka needed a win to keep up with HJK (see below), while time was running out for JJK at the bottom of the table. Honka coasted into a 2-0 half-time lead, a neat finish from Tim Väyrynen (20') followed by the same man converting a penalty after Yaghoubi was fouled, despite the theatrical fall (37').

Tim Väyrynen (r) challenging Hanslian

Whatever was said in the JJK dressing room worked, as they fired in three goals, from Hilska (60'), a splendid effort from Rob Taylor (66') and Virtanen (80'). It needed Väyrynen's stunning curled hat-trick goal to salvage a point in the 94th minute, worthy of taking him to top of the scorer charts, but probably in vain with HJK's grip on the title strengthening.

Highlights of Honka 3-3 JJK

Honka are second, with 55 points from 29 games, five behind HJK (who have a game in hand). JJK are still bottom, with 22 points from 29 matches, nine adrift of safety with four games to play.

HJK 3-1 TPS

Just like last year, despite a close challenger, they fall away and HJK head to victory. They made this victory awkward - TPS actually took the lead, a superb counter-attack finished by Lähde on 24mins. But two goals from an unlikely source restored the balance - Valtteri Moren headed in two Zeneli set pieces (26' and 46') to make it 2-1, before a great cross from Alho invited a near-post strike from Schüller on 76', and three points for HJK. The two teams meet again in Turku this Thursday.

Highlights of HJK 3-1 TPS

HJK are top, 60 points from 28 games, with a five point lead over Honka and a game in hand. TPS meanwhile continue to make mugs of my prediction that they'd come second, they are ninth with 34 points from 28 games.

Inter 1-2 VPS

After such a good start to the season, VPS were in danger of drifting into mid-table without a trace. But their third win in a row means that they have third place (and the Europa League) in their own hands. Toni Björk's 24th minute penalty gave them the lead, before Tamas Gruborovics replied early in the second half with a penalty of his own. Anthony Dafaa, whose injury was a main factor in VPS's poor run, scored the winner with 12 minutes left. Inter meanwhile are rotting, their Veikkausliiga status saved only by JJK's impending relegation.

Highlights of Inter 1-2 VPS

Inter sit in 11th place, with 31 points from 29 games, ten points ahead of JJK. VPS are third, with 46 points from 29 games.

KuPS 2-0 RoPS

A dress rehearsal for Saturday's Suomen Cup final - and won comfortably by the mighty KuPS. Three points was the prize here, while Saturday sees a cup and European football on offer for the winner. Goals from Ilja Venäläinen (35') and Dudu (45') saw a routine win, and gives KuPS hope of a top half finish.

Highlights of KuPS 2-0 RoPS

KuPS are now in seventh place, with 35 points from 29 games. RoPS are tenth, with 34 points from 29 games. It really is tight in the middle.

Jaro 1-2 IFK Mariehamn

Saturday afternoon's game was vital for both teams - Jaro's good early season had faded, while Mariehamn remain inconsistent but needed to win to dream of a return to Europe. Free scoring summer signing Luis Solignac's fifth goal in five games opened the scoring on 20mins for Mariehamn, but Frank 'the Tank' Jonke equalised on 36mins. A 66th minute winner from IFK's other summer man Josef Ibrahim (3 goals in 7) secured the points, and keep Mariehamn 4 points behind VPS.

Highlights of Jaro 1-2 IFK Mariehamn

Jaro are now eighth, with 34 points from 29 games, and have lost their last five games. Mariehamn are fourth, 42 points from 29 games.

Veikkausliiga week 28 - VPS going for bronze

Hot on the heels of the last round, comes a Monday with all twelve teams in action. There were plenty of goals, and while nothing changed at the top or bottom, the middle moved around a little bit...

VPS 2-1 KuPS

With the top two so far ahead, nine other sides had aspirations of coming third - even second-bottom Inter were only ten points away with six matches left. VPS had started the season well, but have struggled for goals lately - and they won this game the hard way against KuPS.

VPS head the race for third (photo via Mikael Nybacka)

KuPS had struggled too this season, but Ilja Venäläinen's eleventh goal of the season with just two minutes gone looked promising. They held the lead for an hour, before Jordan Seabrook flicked in an equaliser (63'), before captain Sebastian Strandvall missed a birthday penalty. It was substitute Steven Morrissey who sealed the points with an 84th minute goal, and took VPS clear in the race for third, with Europa League football the prize.

Highlights of VPS 2-1 KuPS

 

VPS sit third in the table, with 43 points from 28 matches. KuPS remain tenth, with 32 points from 28 games.

Lahti 0-2 HJK

After all the build-up, including bus stop posters and all sorts, HJK won a crucial three points with two goals from Robin Lod (who has six for the season, including his hat-trick against Honka). They even managed to miss a penalty at 0-0, the normally reliable Zeneli hit a tame one straight at the keeper's legs. Lod's goals came on 44 and 71 minutes. Lahti's recent form is still impressive, and haven't drawn since June... That they were genuine relegation contenders for part of the season shows their rise, while HJK's form since the Champions League debacle has been near faultless, unbeaten in 14 league games and they've won the last five.

Highlights of Lahti 0-2 HJK

Lahti are sixth in the table, 36 points from 28 games. HJK are top, with 57 points from 27 matches - three clear of Honka with a game in hand, which is against TPS next week.

Jaro 1-3 Honka

Honka had drawn their last two matches 0-0, but their youngsters provided a spark in Pietarsaari. 20-year-old Kevin Mombilo carried on his promising form with the opening goal (20'), before Tim Väyrynen's tenth goal of the season (42') ensured a half-time lead of 2-0. A superb solo goal from Moshtagh Yaghoubi (61') made it 3-0, before Mathias Kullström pulled one back (77'), but it wasn't enough to halt Jaro's run of eight games without a win. There were some handbags after the final whistle, but nothing major.

Highlights of Jaro 1-3 Honka

Jaro are seventh, with 34 points from 28 games. Honka remain second, 54 points from 28 games (one game more than HJK, three points behind).

IFK Mariehamn 3-2 MYPA

The game had been delayed by half an hour after the officials were delayed... They were there to give a penalty to Mariehamn, converted by Byskata (16'), before goals from Solignac (35') and Bernardo (81') looked like a smooth ride was in store. But the foot came off the gas, and MYPA made it nervous after Anttilainen (84') and Soiri (89')... But it ended 3-2, a decent recovery for Mariehamn after last week's drubbing.

Highlights of IFK Mariehamn 3-2 MYPA

IFK Mariehamn are fifth in the table, 39 points from 28 games. MYPA are fourth, with 40 points from 28 matches.

RoPS 1-1 JJK

JJK picked up a point after the journey to Rovaniemi, but it did little to help their struggle against relegation. Mika Lahtinen scored for RoPS after 29 minutes, before Antto Hilska equalised (with his second goal in two games) after 74 minutes. RoPS are now winless in five, JJK haven't won any league games in ten.

No highlights yet.

RoPS are ninth, 34 points from 28 games. JJK are twelvth, with 21 points from 28 games - ten behind Inter with five matches left.

TPS 1-1 Inter

TPS opened the scoring in the Turku derby after just a minute (Roope Riski). But a late header from Guy Gnabouyou (84') earned a point for Inter, to keep the gap to JJK at ten points. TPS are winless in five games, and have two games against HJK to come. Inter meanwhile have two wins in nineteen.

Highlights of TPS 1-1 Inter

TPS are eighth, with 34 points from 27 games. Inter are eleventh, with 31 points from 28 matches.