Veikkausliiga week 32 - HJK champions-elect, Jaro stumble, Haka find a lifeline

HJK have one hand and four fingers on the their fourth consecutive title, and the thumb merely hopes for a point at JJK, or if they lose, Inter to win at Honka with a goal difference swing of eight goals or fewer. Given that Betfair are currently quoting odds of 1/100 that they'll win the title, they're being charitable to Inter's chances.

HJK hadn't lost at home in the league since 2010, anything other than a home win was unlikely, despite Lahti's impressive late season form. Two wins and the title was staying in Helsinki. In the end, it was about as routine as a home 2-0 gets - a penalty early in the second half, converted by Berat Sadik, and a late confirmation from Demba Savage. A maximum points total of 64, is still a huge drop on last year's 81 under the same structure.

 Opening scorer Berat Sadik in action

It was Antti Muurinen's final home game in charge, he's to be replaced by former HJK player Sixten Boström for 2013, and at the end of the match he was hoisted around the ground by his players. Will the change lead to an improvement in HJK's European fortunes? HJK's final match is away to JJK on Saturday, before the party, and the hard work starting again. Lahti are at least assured of a top half finish, a good return to the top division, they end the season at home to KuPS.

 Muurinen bids farewell to the HJK fans

Highlights of HJK 2-0 Lahti

Inter meanwhile knew that they'd need to beat TPS to keep any realistic chance of the title - the intro of this review gives away that they failed. A stalemate, a red card, and a silver medal are all they have to show. The knowledge that rotten form when it counted cost them the title, that having the league's top scorer (Sirbiladze) and top assist provider (Mika Ojala) wasn't enough. Another crack at the Europa League will have been the minimum requirement, and Job Dragtsma will have to work hard to do better in 2013, without Ojala at least. The red card for Antunez for a shove won't have helped, but it will be a footnote in another missed chance for Inter.

Antunez before his red card

Highlights of Inter 0-0 TPS

At the foot of the table, the battle may have been further from the radar, but was no less keenly fought. Haka had failed to win since the 15th of July, since then they've suffered a 9-2 humiliation to TPS, and the subsequent change of manager... They were at home to Suomen Cup winners Honka, who have been undergoing their own problems (see previous review about financial peril) since their triumph. Nothing but a win would do (as results elsewhere proved). It was a tough match, seven bookings (two of them went to Haka captain, and player of the year, Shane Robinson), but only one goal, a neat finish from Juha Pirinen. Haka are still in the fight, and have one last match at VPS. The mathematics will be covered after the review of Jaro's match...

 

Haka enjoy a rare triumph

 

Highlights of Haka 1-0 Honka

So to Jaro... A home game against an IFK team who still had a chance of qualifying for Europe. Jaro were three points clear of Haka, with a superior goal difference. A win would give them as much chance of staying up as HJK have of winning the league - almost definite. Could things have started any better? It took eleven seconds for loan signing Sherif Ashraf to put Jaro ahead, before Jonas Emet made it 2-0 after twenty minutes with a low drive from outside the box. It all looked over for Haka, and perhaps Jaro knew it. Mariehamn pulled a goal back before the break through Jagne after a poor keeper error, but Frank Jonke re-established the two goal cushion four minutes into the second half. A fairly soft penalty award gave Kangaskolkka a goal on 82', and a late deflected strike from Amos Ekhalie deep into injury time took Jaro's win away.

Highlights of Jaro 3-3 IFK Mariehamn

The situation at the bottom is this: Jaro are away to TPS on Saturday. Win, and they stay up. Draw, and a Haka win will keep Haka up. If Jaro lose, and Haka draw, then it comes down to goal difference. Jaro are currently on -24, Haka on -26. It's going to be more exciting at the bottom than the top this weekend.

Two other matches remained, and forgive me for not giving them a huge amount of coverage. KuPS were mathematically safe as a result of Jaro's defeat at the weekend, and after a season which had great highs (beating Bursaspor in the Europa League), a tenth placed finish and cup runners-up is a pretty poor showing. A home match against VPS meant more to the visitors, who needed to win to keep a chance of finishing in the top half, but it ended up with three points to KuPS. Ali Koljonen opened the scoring, before Steven Morrissey's fifteenth goal of the season levelled the match. The winning goal came from Dudu, and that was it.

 Dudu gets the praise (courtesy of Futisblogi Puoliaika)

The final match was MYPA versus JJK. The hosts were made safe in the top half by VPS's defeat, but needed to make sure an extra home game for 2013. But the nerves were frayed by an early goal by Mikko Manninen, and it took until the 74th minute for MYPA to get level, an own goal by Tuomanen, before Pekka Sihvola's 13th league goal of the season sealed the win. Sihvola is now fourth in the Goal King race, a decent return in his first season since his move from Haka.

 

Highlights of MYPA 2-1 JJK

Veikkausliiga week 31 - Last gasp Ojala keeps Inter involved

While the FIFA calendar ensures international football comes at the most inconvenient times for all nations, the scheduling of the Veikkausliiga meant that only three rounds of fixtures remained on the return to domestic matches.

After the relatively low-key games at the top of the table, where each of the three title contenders won their home ties 1-0, all three had to travel. Leaders HJK played VPS, Inter at bottom side Haka, and TPS to Mariehamn.

HJK's visit to VPS had the potential for a banana skin, with VPS having had a poor record against the top teams, but always dangerous with Steven Morrissey on fourteen goals for the season. HJK dominated the first half, winning corner after corner... But two goals before half time, a lovely run and finish by Joel Pohjanpalo and an unfortunate own goal from Denis Abdulahi, gave HJK a lead they weren't likely to surrender. A Parikka penalty in the second half gave VPS a chance, but HJK clinched the win with a Berat Sadik goal on the hour. HJK now have 58 points, VPS are in seventh place on 43. Outgoing HJK coach praised the team's attitude afterwards, but will be concerned at more poor finishing.

Pohjanpalo scored the opening goal

Highlights of VPS 1-3 HJK

Meanwhile... Inter's appointment with Haka would be difficult as the hosts were fighting to remain in the league, as they started the game three points behind Jaro. It was Haka that took the lead through Brazilian Dema after 21 minutes, and they would have been hoping for a first win since mid-July. They made it to half-time with the lead, and Inter were getting nervous, with Bouwman and Kauko picking up bookings before the break. But Inter saved their season in the end, thanks to Hacken-bound Mike Ojala. He scored twice in the second half, including the winner in injury time, to keep the Turku team a point behind HJK. Kauko was sent off for a second booking, and will miss the next match. That match is a huge derby against TPS on Monday evening. More to come on that later. Haka remain on 26 points, rooted at the bottom, with their last two matches at home to Honka and away to VPS.

Inter celebrate their comeback

Third placed TPS meanwhile started the day two points behind HJK, and had a tricky trip to fourth place IFKM. IFK were in contention themselves not long ago, and needed a win to give themselves an outside chance of Europa League football next summer. The first half was goalless, but IFK were in danger of throwing the game away through poor discipline, three bookings followed by a red card for Canadian Mason Trafford. But there was one goal, and it was for the home side, Saihou Jagne with his fifth goal of the season. So IFK take the points, and pretty much end the hopes of TPS. IFK need to win their last two games, at Jaro and at home to MYPA, for a chance of continental football. TPS still have a say in the title race, a win over rivals Inter will virtually gift the title to HJK. They need two points from two games to guarantee at least third place and the bronze medal position.

IFK scorer Jagne in action

Highlights of IFKM 1-0 TPS

Cup winners Honka have been subject of speculation as to whether they will be able to afford a license to compete in next season's top flight, despite their recent glory. Ykkönen runners up SJK are rumoured to have been asked to prepare to fund an application should Honka fail, but Honka had a chance to distract the fans for ninety minutes at least, with a Cup final rematch against KuPS. KuPS were still mathematically in danger of relegation, but that would have required Haka to win all their remaining games, which as we covered earlier, didn't happen. 717 people paid to watch the game live, and saw Honka take the lead, a deflected strike from Jusso Simpanen finding the net. KuPS equalised in first half injury time thanks to a great free kick from Miikka Ilo, but Honka scored an 80th minute winner, substitute Youness Rahimi beating Joonas Pöntinen (he should have done better). KuPS are now safely stuck in tenth place, unlikely to move from there, while Honka stay eighth, and unlikely to make the top half, although off-the-pitch decision makers may rule on whether they stay in the division at all for 2013.

Duarte Tammilehto tries the Schmeichel

Highlights of Honka 2-1 KuPS

The second bottom club Jaro were three points ahead of Haka, and travelled to Jyväskylä hoping for a win that would virtually preserve their Veikkausliiga status, against JJK. Jaro weren't in bad form, with only one defeat in six games since the signings of Steven Irwin and Sherif Ashraf, but JJK have scored plenty of goals at home this season, and it was no different - Mikko Innanen scored twice, and goals from Manninen and Markkanen made it four goals for JJK. Emet and Ashraf got goals for Jaro, but the result was 4-2. Not ideal for Jaro, but with Haka losing, they know that a win against Mariehamn or TPS will pretty much mean they're safe, assuming Haka pick up points. JJK are ninth, again unlikely to make it into the top half. Like KuPS, JJK appear to have sufferered from European involvement, and will be looking to improve next year.

 JJK wore pink to raise awareness of breast cancer

The final match saw Lahti return to form with a home win against MYPA. Lahti have now picked up 19 points out of 24, and have made a late surge into the top half. With this win, they have overtaken MYPA into fifth, and could yet have a say in the title race, as they visit Helsinki on Monday. Lahti's early goal by Hietanen was cancelled by Olajide Williams, but Lahti scored twice more, through Mero and substitute Rafael (subject of a Guardian article last weekend about Brazilians abroad, see here). Lahti have ended the season fantastically, and are likely to earn the extra home game in 2013 that a top half spot brings.

Lahti and MYPA weren't briefed about facing the camera

So the preview for week 32 is this: If HJK win at home to Lahti, and Inter fail to beat TPS, then the title will remain in Helsinki, bar a huge goal difference swing on the final day. An Inter win will keep things going to the final day.

At the bottom, a Haka defeat (at home to Honka) will almost certainly relegate them. A Jaro win at home to IFK will also pretty much relegate Haka. A Haka win and a Jaro defeat... The goal difference is similar, Haka currently -27, Jaro -24...

We'll know more on Monday evening, make sure you follow @escapetosuomi on Twitter for more updates.