Nordic Football News has once again brought you the most definitive Veikkausliiga preview concievable. Now for the final part, our standings prediction. After much debate and wrangling, NFN Editor Egan Richardson had to step in to adjudicate the dispute, and this is our best combined estimate of how the season will unfold.

This year’s Veikkausliiga looks to be both the most open and the most predictable in years. At the media day traditionally held to open the season, every coach (bar Honka coach Mika Lehkosuo) predicted that HJK would win the title, because of their large squad and already solid team. There are two small problems there: they lack experience in central midfield, because of Dominic Yobe’s unfortunate legal difficulties and Aki Riihilahti’s unreliable fitness; and the other teams could close the talent gap with the remnants of Tampere United’s squad.

Inter coach Job Dragtsma also pointed out the difficulty of keeping a large squad happy, but we believe HJK will emerge triumphant in the end anyway. They have the talent to overwhelm Veikkausliiga teams, although if they come under pressure there are still question marks over coach Antti Muurinen’s abilities. Those abilities will be tested more thoroughly in Europe.

Coming in second in the NFN ranking are Inter Turku. They have the league’s best coach, an attractive style of play, years of experience and a squad that was gathered well in advance of the season. In recent years they have added last-minute reinforcements that struggled to settle, but this year Domagoj Abramovic, Federico Scoppa, Kalle Parviainen and Magnus Bahne have all had time to acclimatise before the season starts. If HJK slip up, Inter have a good chance of nicking the title.

Next are a group of teams who are all much of a muchness – we have them in a certain order, but that could reverse quite easily. KuPS are a solid top six side, but they somehow lack flair and are over-reliant on one man for goals. Last season it was Dickson Nwakaeme at the start, then Dudu, and this year it is switching back to Dickson again, despite his reported poor condition.

Honka are somewhat similar. They signed Dudu, which should bring them goals, but there are big question marks over their defence. Centre back Lum Rexhepi has inexplicably gotten southern football journalists salivating, but he is a mistake-prone teenager learning the game, not a battle-hardened veteran accustomed to taking responsibility.

IFK Mariehamn, on the other hand, look to be dark horses once again. We here at NFN are a little Åland-o-phile, at least compared to most of our esteemed colleagues in the football media. They have a decent-looking squad, including four reinforcements from Tampere United. Look out for Aleksei Kangaskolkka, who has the talent to make a big impression if given the playing time he was denied at TamU.

TPS are becoming accustomed to life without squandering huge chunks of cash on not very much, as they did under the stewardship of former owner and convicted fraudster Seppo Sairanen and former CEO and current head of elite football at the FA, Petri Jakonen. We expect this to be of huge benefit to them, as they develop the playing talent they have and scrap for every point under stern-looking head coach, Marko Rajamäki. If Toni Kolehmainen and Njazi Kuqi hit form, they could do much better than we’re predicting.

Next up, JJK. They are one of the clubs to have set themselves goals, with a top three finish in average attendances and on the field demanded by CEO Joni Vesalainen. We don’t think they’ll quite make it in the league at least. On paper they have a chance, with tricky winger Mikko Manninen, smiling destroyer Babatunde Wusu and bearded midfield general Tamas Gruborovics, but there’s something missing. Maybe Kari Martonen will find that missing ingredient and we’ll look like fools, but it’s worth bearing in mind that they have finished second bottom in the last two seasons, and we’re forecasting a big improvement on that.

Then we have everybody’s second club, Jaro. Under Alexei Eremenko Sr they will play beautiful football, develop good young players (including the youngest player in the league, 16 year old Simon Skrabb), and finish somewhere in mid-table. Their breakthrough is yet to come.

VPS are possibly the world’s dullest football team. They find it difficult to score, they don’t concede very many, and they will just about stay clear of relegation trouble. That’s it.

MYPA are difficult to pin down. Toni Korkeakunnas moved from Viikingit to coach the former factory side in Myllykoski, and he brought a few youngsters from Helsinki-area clubs. He also has two loanees from Tottenham Hotspur and former Haka veteran Mikko Innanen, but it will take time for him to stamp his ideas on the club. We reckon they’ll be comfortably bottom half of the table.

RoPS have an almost entirely new squad, after they sacked nine players suspected of match-fixing. With more Finns than ever before, they will have a strong home advantage as Rovaniemi rallies round. The squad looks weak on paper, but they have the financial resources to strengthen during the season and they are every other team’s least favourite away game. That should be enough to see them steer clear of relegation.

Haka, sadly, will probably be relegated. They have a miniscule budget this year, a threadbare squad and dwindling crowds. Coach Sami Ristilä has been a good motivator, and he will need to be if he is to get that group of players to put up a fight against relegation. He might well get that far, but we think it’s a fight they will lose.

Here’s the final ranking:

1) HJK

2) Inter

3) Honka

4) KuPS

5) IFK

6) TPS

7) JJK

8 ) Jaro

9) VPS

10) MYPA

11) RoPS

12) Haka

You can follow us on Twitter at @NordicFootball, @JanneOivio, @jvsalminen and @EganRichardson. We are also on Facebook

One of the things that stood out before the season started was that it really did seem like the most unpredictable season in quite some time, and so it has turned out to be. AC Oulu beating Honka twice, Honka beating HJK twice, KuPS’s brilliant run and so it goes on. Just when you think you have things figured out, something comes out of the woodwork. In other words, a brilliant season of football.

No team has really distinguished itself by being particularly consistent. HJK has been the closest, but even they’ve run into spots of trouble thanks to a brutal summer schedule. When they win the title at season’s end, it’ll be as much thanks to the faltering of their challengers as Klubi’s own brilliance.

Let’s start with the random predictions. We’ll look at the predicted table once the season’s end draws nearer.

The prediction:

Head coach most likely to get fired: Sami Ristilä, Haka. Despite his long contract, he’ll be on a short leash. Ristilä faces the unenviable task of gelling an overhauled group of mix-and-match players. They’ve got talent, but I fear expectations will overshadow development.

Outcome: Wrong. Ristilä didn’t have a stellar year, but did well under very difficult circumstances. He almost lost his entire team to bankruptcy but only ended up losing virtually all of his good players because of woeful mismanagement by Haka’s money men. It was like they were gorging at a fancy restaurant and tried to skip out on the check.

Not getting relegated outright is achievement enough, even if Haka finish second from bottom.

The prediction:

First team to start a fire sale because of bankruptcy threats: Tampere United. They still seem to have an expensive team and very few percieved improvements in income. Only problem is, they don’t really have a host of marketable assets anymore after last year’s fire sale. Keep an eye on Jaro and Oulu as well.

Outcome: Wrong, as Haka beat them to the punch. But I was right about TamU not having good enough players to sell.

The prediction:

Head coach most likely to succumb to depression: It’s a dead heat between Job Dragtsma and Ari Hjelm. Both have seen their elite teams slowly crumble due to financial constraints and the inability to profit by selling players on the rise. Dragtsma seemed almost resigned at the Veikkausliiga Media Day. Hjelm knows he doesn’t have his beloved veterans anymore and doesn’t trust youngsters, although they do make a perfect scapegoat.

Outcome: Boo-yeah! Dragtsma has been a shadow of his former self this year as Inter have slumped to total mediocrity and Hjelm became so fed up with TamU (and vice versa) that he announced his departure well before the end of the season. Success!

The prediction:

Most logical head coach for HJK in 2011: Job Dragtsma. This makes so much sense my head hurts. Dragtsma’s expensive contract nears it’s end, Inter is cutting down on its spending quite drastically and Job needs a new challenge. I’d be surprised if HJK renewed Antti Muurinen’s deal again. Nothing against him as such, but even after winning the title last year it was a very close decision for owner Olli-Pekka Lyytikäinen.

Dragtsma could finally be in charge of a team with a budget to match his ambition, HJK would benefit from having the best coach in the league and HJK would also satisfy it’s criteria of having a coach who is recognizable and successful but not too volatile. And cost-cutting Inter would save quite a bit by having Job’s contract bought out.

The outcome: Wrong. Antti Muurinen has had an incredible renaissance year with HJK and deserved the extension he got recently. Muurinen has assembled a young, energetic coaching team under him that keeps things innovative and Muurinen manages the big picture. No need for change there, although I do maintain Dragtsma would be a great coach for HJK.

The prediction:

Most likely top team to drop points on Opening Day: HJK. I put this in because my championship preview probably won’t be out before tomorrows game and I wanted it on record, for better or worse. Klubi’s puzzle just isn’t finished. Injuries and a new defense mean mistakes, particularly against a very fired-up KuPS in Kuopio.

Outcome: Close, but no cigar. HJK trounced KuPS 5-0 on opening day although in my defense Klubi did drop points in the second round.

The prediction:

Most likely stud from last season to flop: Henri Myntti. Well, technically he wasn’t a stud from last season, but he was a stud when he left in 2008. I doubt he’ll recapture his old form on a TamU team that seems decidedly worse than when he left. He’s a towering presence, but opponents will be much better prepared for the ex-defenders onslaught this time around.

Outcome: Gooool! Or in Myntti’s case, no-goool. Myntti has been horrid, although he’s not alone. But this one was too easy.

The prediction:

Breakout player of the year: Mikko Sumusalo. I know Honka’s midfield kids and the Riski Brothers are the popular choices, but if there’s one youngster on a top team likely to unseat a vested veteran, it’s Sumusalo at HJK’s left back. It seems he’s finally “getting it” in terms of dedication and his left foot is an absolute dream. Should form a beastly combo with left winger Dawda Bah.

Outcome: Sumusalo made strides, but the Riski Brothers among others made even bigger strides. So wrong, but not entirely. Sumusalo showed great ability vs. Besiktas and even earning a time-share with veteran Tuomas Kansikas is quite an achievement.

The prediction:

Three teams that are better than you think: KuPS, Jaro and IFK Mariehamn.

Outcome: Two out of three ain’t bad! KuPS was even better than I thought, but at the other end of the scale IFK was a massive flop. My faith in Pekka Lyyski’s ability to solve the back four after the departures of Paulus Arajuuri and Alexandros Pappas was misplaced. IFK will be back next season, presuming of course that they stay up.

The prediction:

Three teams that are worse than you think: TPS, FC Lahti (if possible), and Tampere United.

Outcome: Again, 2/3 ain’t bad! People had too much faith in Lahti because of Litmanen and Ilkka Mäkelä. What a horrific performance this season. Don’t buy into the crap of ”they were so close to winning so many times and just had bad luck”-theory. No good team trails at the rear by a massive seven points with five games left and deserves the moniker ”unlucky”, particularly in a season where most teams are bunched within a few points. TamU was pretty easy to spot as well with all the unrest in the background and loss of talent. They may end up with a decent finish, but it’ll only be because the mid-table has been so even. Don’t be fooled, though. TamU has been very poor. TPS bucked the trend, although they can’t be declared a massive success either. Winning the cup would push them over the top. Still, they had the horses to be in the title fight but predictably weren’t up to the task.

The prediction:

First coach to use young players as scapegoats for bad results: In the absence of Keith Armstrong, it’s a dead heat between our friend Ari Hjelm and Antti Muurinen. Both have a history of throwing kids under the bus privately and publicly, although Muurinen will often refer to young players only when he has to stress the length of his injury list. Look out for a steady stream of “Juhani Ojala and Mikko Sumusalo are still very raw and that shows in our defending”-type lines.

Outcome: Honestly, I’m more bored of the Ari Hjelm Era than watching “Friends”, so I can’t even be bothered to check. Has there ever been a team more half-heartedly trying to “win one for the coach” when we all know the players are just counting the days until he’s gone?

At the other end as mentioned before, I was dead wrong about Muurinen and his renaissance. The underrated thing about it has been his quiet confidence. No more excuses, no more talking down expectations. Unlike his rivals, Muurinen’s taken the pressure and eaten it up. Hats off.

The prediction:

Hero of the Year: Alexei Eremenko Jr. He should be able to draw crowds where ever he goes. I predict Junior has a huge year, makes it back into the national team and Stuart Baxter’s good graces, lifts Jaro higher than people would expect AND garners significant new media interest in the league (already evident). Big shoes to fill, kid. Don’t let me down.

Outcome: Boo-yeah, Part Deux! Junior’s season was a massive success personally and for Jaro as well. Eremenko’s loan to Kilmarnock might not be glamorous, but if he stays healthy, he should be able to carve up the SPL and finally move on to bigger and better things.

The prediction:

Villain of the Year: Sedu Koskinen. I hate to jump on the hater bandwagon since I do respect all the money and effort he has put into Haka. But he’s bound to get frustrated again this season and make rash decisions (as evidenced by my coach-firing prediction). Also, his business empire made massive losses last year, so the vilification might well continue with Sedu selling Haka to whoever will take it off his hands by year’s end. Let’s hope not, though.

Outcome: When I’m right, I’m alright. This one couldn’t have been more on the money, sadly. Sedu’s Haka experiment was such a massive cock-up that it put a damper on an otherwise brilliant season of football. And he made it worse when he started complaining that players in Veikkausliiga made too much money. But who authorized the massive salaries of Toni Kuivasto (a reported 100k) and Jukka Santala (80k)? Was it Santa Claus, or perhaps you, Sedu? If you don’t have the cheddar, don’t feed the mouse.

The prediction:

Vindication of the Year: Petri Jakonen, Palloliitto: Jakonen would be the winner Villain of the Year if voted by fans now thanks to his abrupt and poorly explained remodeling of the top three tiers in Finnish football. When we start getting to the 12 team league, though, Jakonen will have his day. Ykkönen and Kakkonen teams might suffer in the short term, but everybody wins in the long term. More than anything competitiveness and skilled club leadership will be stressed and we should come out better for it. And hey, if we want to make progress, we gotta take a few lumps along the way.

Outcome: To be determined. Jakonen gave in a bit by reducing the number of team relegated from Kakkonen, but otherwise the plan is still in place. We’ll see.

So there we are. A pretty even mix of right and wrong, as you would expect. And what’s best, there are still four rounds of football to go! Let’s see if we can come up with something before Saturday’s massive Finnish Cup final, HJK-TPS. As always, I shall be 100% not-at-all biased. Until then.

Friday 7 PM

Tampere United (5th) – FC Lahti (12th)

Tampere United had to make a jailbreak on Tuesday because AC/DC invaded their home ground. They had enough T.N.T in them to go 2-0 up at FF Jaro, but were so thunderstruck by their early lead that they had to settle with a 2-2 draw. The Tampere side were shot down in flames by Lahti in the cup a couple of weeks back. However, TamU are on a five match unbeaten league run. Improving FC Lahti can only snatch a draw.

Draw

Saturday 7 PM

AC Oulu (11th) – FC Honka (2nd)

Honka have not been the most prolific side in their recent fixtures. One goal in three games is not quite enough, unless you are happy enough keeping the ball. Honka are quite content with that most of the time. AC Oulu beat Inter away on Monday, so it is about time they return to their usual habit of not scoring. 0-0, says NFN’s highly advanced and fully computerised prediction machine.

Draw

Sunday, 6.30 PM

TPS (6th) – IFK Mariehamn (14th)

TPS’ luck ran out on Tuesday. They finally lost, having already played six games of quite horrible football before that. IFK Mariehamn are quite bad too, so TPS can take three points again and take pride in occupying a European spot even though their football is a huge mess. IFK’s Mikko Paatelainen returns to his former home stadium, which is the most enjoyable event of the night for any TPS fan.

Home win

HJK (1st) – FF Jaro (8th)

Both sides are pretty good, so we here at the Ivory Tower don’t really know how we could mock either side. But everybody hates HJK, so our readers can pick the argument of their choice. Jaro are pretty good at football, just inefficient. So HJK will win the game, and nobody will be happy. Except HJK fans, of course.

Home win

JJK (7th) – FC Inter (13th)

Inter have not scored in two league games and AC Oulu and Tampere United have played them off the pitch tactically. However, Job Dragtsma says there is no reason to change tactics, because they are still creating chances. Having attended both their last league games, we here at the NFN Ivory Tower do not know what the hell he is talking about. Their opponents have easily unwound Inter’s strategy, which might be a good enough reason to tweak tactics just a little bit. Besides, their only real striker is still suspended because of a childish act of frustration in a recent cup game. A little hint to JJK: close them down early and force them into long balls, and the game is in the pocket.

Home win

Monday, 6.30 PM

MYPA (9th) – KuPS (3rd)

MYPA are on a three match unbeaten run. There is not much more to say about them, because they are just boring and uninteresting. KuPS have been very good for some time now, and their surprisingly good league position is fully deserved. MYPA have been quite bad at home, so let’s take the easy way out and go for KuPS.

Away win

Monday, 8.30 PM

VPS (10th) – Haka (4th)

VPS have won once and drawn once after their miserable derby defeat against Jaro. They won KuPS and drew against Honka, so they are seemingly improving. The same cannot be said about Haka, who controlled the game against MYPA last week, but only scored once and in their own end. Well, VPS aren’t that good either, so this is a draw. Surely?

Draw

Down at the bottom, RoPS will host KuPS. It is no secret that the Rovaniemi side are rubbish, but that they were crappy enough to succumb to a 9-0 massacre in the hands of Honka is enough to indicate why they have no place in the top flight. True to their style, they pressed the panic button this week, releasing head coach Mika Lumijärvi and replacing him with club legend Zeddy Saileti, who has never head coached a football team. Now he should somehow be able to turn the club’s miserable form around in just one game. A draw would be an insufficient result and even three points will not guarantee a relegation spot. Furthermore, they are unlikely to get anything out from the game.

It is ironic indeed that KuPS are the visiting side. KuPS’ Nigerian striker Dickson Nwakaeme was largely influential when KuPS gave RoPS a 3-0 hammering at home a few months back. RoPS found out that Nwakaeme was not eligible as he had played an official game in May. The Finnish FA had already decided the case in RoPS’ favour, turning the result upside down, before KuPS’ complaint again made the original result valid and left the FA, who had given Nwakaeme his permission to play, blushing. RoPS have moaned over the issue since, but their performances on the pitch would tell a blind dog that the team does not belong in the top division. KuPS are likely to put RoPS out of their misery, and hopefully RoPS will not come back before they have finally come up with something resembling a credible strategy.

JJK are not in for a stroll in the park either. Some time ago, their opponents Tampere United sold two of their better players, Jussi Kujala and Mathias Lindström, and have reduced the wage bill. Morale in the United squad was expected to drop, but in fact, it seems the crisis has unified the squad. Tampere United are the better team, but for JJK the game is of great importance. While they have suffered no less than seven straight defeats, they should not be written off yet, especially as they have the backing of a sold-out stadium. Despite their poor form, the local people have stuck behind their club, and the fans really deserve a top-flight team. Unfortunately, they will have to play two play-off games to book their ticket for Veikkausliiga 2010.

As the games in between are rather meaningless, we can happily skip them and move on to the top of the table. HJK, TPS and FC Honka will stay put in the podium positions, but Saturday will settle which side will take the highest spot.

HJK are the most likely winners. They have left Honka and TPS trailing by three points, so a draw at home against Jaro would be enough to kick off their first title celebration since 2003. It has escaped nobody’s attention, though, that head coach Antti Muurinen has a history of fumbling golden opportunities. One needs to look no further than a few months back, when HJK had won their away tie at Lithuanian side FK Vetra and a home draw would have seen them face Fulham in the third round of the UEFA Europa League.  Incredibly, they suffered a 3-1 loss at home and their European campaign ended.

The Finnish media have wasted no time in pointing out that HJK would only have needed a draw to win the title in their last game in 1999. However, they lost their away game to Haka and saw Haka lift the trophy that was theirs for the taking.

Nevertheless, Jaro are the weaker side against HJK, and HJK would be the favourites even if the stakes were not so high. And even if Muurinen has a history of messing things up in the defining moments, the HJK squad are unlikely to let this opportunity slip away. HJK are not very entertaining and concentrate on clinical, result-based football instead. TPS and Honka are the more enjoyable sides, but there are no moral victors. It would really suit HJK if they did nothing more than what was needed and played a boring 0-0 draw, but there can be no complaints. While Jaro should be given their share of respect, especially due to their recent improvement under new coach Alexei Eremenko sr, they are unlikely to grab a win.

If Jaro do win, however, TPS and Honka have the perfect opportunity to lift the trophy. If one of the two sides find themselves on top with HJK on level points, they are crowned champions on the basis of better goal difference. TPS are currently third, and need a win to be sure of receiving silver medals, while a draw would leave Honka on the second spot. TPS’ head coach Pasi Rautiainen has played down his team’s role in the title race, comparing the probability of a Jaro win in Helsinki to seeing a flying cow. He is probably right, but slim title chances ensure that both sides will really push for the three points. Picking a favourite is splitting hairs really, but TPS’ home advantage (nearly a sell-out) makes them the favourites by the slimmest of margins.

SATURDAY’S FIXTURES AND NFN’S PREDICTIONS (ALL GAMES START AT 3 PM, GMT+2):

HJK – FF Jaro, draw (HJK win the title)
TPS – FC Honka, home win (TPS finish second, Honka third)
VPS – IFK Mariehamn, away win
Haka – MYPA, home win
FC Lahti – FC Inter, away win
JJK – Tampere United, away win (JJK finish 13th and go into relegation play-offs)
RoPS – KuPS, away win (RoPS relegated)

Antti Muurinen’s HJK will travel to penniless Tampere United. Once the emergency departures of Jussi Kujala to TPS and Mathias Lindström to HJK confirmed that United’s reputation as one of the giants in Finnish football is a memory of times gone by, many were convinced that the team would make an easy opponent for the rest of the season. Surprisingly, it seems as if unstable conditions have created a newlyfound sense of unity at the club, and a win over IFK Mariehamn and five goals at RoPS was an indication that TamU could still shake up the title race. Given HJK’s tactical limitations, we could well see TamU snatch a point or more at Ratina tonight.

TPS experienced a surprise defeat at FF Jaro on Sunday, and are now trailing HJK by three points. Tonight could be the best chance they can get to cancel out the deficit, given HJK’s difficult trip to Tampere. However, KuPS will not roll over. The Kuopio side have climbed to safety and gained some breathing space since the scandalous arrival of striker Dickson Nwakaeme, and recent form suggests that TPS should not go into the game with a sense of complacency. TPS’ better quality should still tell by the final whistle, especially given their home advantage. This is a game that a team with title ambitions simply must win – if not, they don’t really deserve to win the trophy.

FC Honka are five points away from the top spot, and a most difficult trip to Jaro is a must-win if they want to preserve the slimmest chance of the title. Jaro have been in raised spirits after club legend Alexei Eremenko took over as a coach, and Sunday’s home victory over TPS proved that the Ostrobothnians have great potential. Honka are the better side by some distance, but Jaro should not be written off during their honeymoon with Eremenko.

IFK Mariehamn have had a good campaign, but 12 draws out of 22 fixtures have made their fight for a European place something of a struggle. Tampere United and FC Inter are hot on their trails, but with 36 points, IFK are still one point ahead of TamU and two points adrift from Inter. The Ålanders’ trip to Haka will not necessarily be a 90-minute joyride, but the hosts have suffered back-to-back victories at KuPS and Honka respectively under new coach Sami Ristilä. Owner Sedu Koskinen & co’s decision to sack another club legend in now-ex head coach Olli Huttunen has created a turmoil that could cost them dear, and another defeat is on the cards for Haka.

FC Inter enjoyed a rather easy home victory over JJK on Sunday, but throughout the fixture it was evident that JJK are a sub-standard team. Inter are still too slow going forward and too happy passing the ball around at the back with no real attacking thrive. VPS are a good home team and have no pressure on them at all, so a win for either side is a possibilty when Turku’s smaller side travel to Vaasa.

Down at the bottom, it looks like another bleak evening is in the making for JJK and RoPS. 13th-placed JJK travel to FC Lahti, another side with the pressure lifted off their shoulders. While the season has been a disappointment to Lahti, who were eyeing another European spot, their quality should still tell at home to a JJK side with a battered self-confidence.

Finally, we have RoPS hosting MYPA. RoPS’ form is absolutely dreadful, with a streak of eight winless games eating up their self-belief – and chances of staying up. At home in Rovaniemi is where RoPS might snap points, but the more likely result is another defeat. Do not expect to be surprised if goal difference remains the only factor separating RoPS and JJK – to the latter’s favour – come Thursday morning.

All games kick off at 6:30 PM, GMT +2

Tampere United – HJK
TPS – KuPS
FF Jaro – FC Honka
Haka – IFK Mariehamn
VPS – FC Inter
FC Lahti – JJK
RoPS – MYPA

With Autumn drawing in, Veikkausliiga is sorting itself into distinct sections going into the closing stages of the season. The top two are matching each other blow for blow in the fight for the championship, the next group of five are dropping points and beating each other as nobody really cements their hold on third spot and a place in the Europa League, the four mid-table teams with nothing much to play for, and the bottom three desperately trying to avoid relegation.

The most intriguing match-up will take place in Espoo, where FC Honka will take on fellow European hopefuls Haka at Tapiolan Urheilupuisto. Haka’s recent coaching change was expected to bring an upturn in fortunes, but unfortunately new man Sami Ristilä chalked up a 5-1 loss away at KuPS in his first game in charge after taking over from Olavi Huttunen at Tehtaan Kenttä.

“Not even in my wildest dreams did I imagine a start like this, but that’s how it went,” Ristilä commented after the loss in Kuopio. “I take responsibility for making the wrong selection decisions, but we’re all in the same boat.”

It’s unlikely central defender Petri Viljanen will be in Ristilä’s boat for the voyage to Honka, as the former PoPa man describes his chances of recovering from a foot injury as “50-50”. A win would take Haka within two points of third place Honka, who will look to get back on track after a 3-2 home defeat against Inter last time out.

The top two both face Ostrobothnian opposition, with HJK taking on Vaasa side VPS at Finnair Stadium, and TPS travelling to Jakobstad to face FF Jaro. VPS troubled HJK when the teams met in Vaasa on 1 July, with HJK requiring two goals from substitute Akseli Pelvas to secure a 4-3 victory, but since then VPS have suffered from erratic form. HJK, on the other hand, have never really hit the heights but are unbeaten since 16 June. The game is televised, and will be broadcast on YLE2 at 17:00 Finnish time.

The Jakobstad game will see an in-form TPS side try to extend their 15-game unbeaten run. Their last defeat came on 14 May in the Turku derby against Inter, and with the retention of Wayne Brown until the end of the season and Pasi Rautiainen’s agreement of a new contract to remain as coach for next season as well, a lot of momentum is with Tepsi.

Moving into the group of European contenders, IFK will face FC Lahti at the Wiklof Holding Arena. Lahti have five players out, IFK only one (Johann Carlsson’s suspension from the Tampere United defeat coming into force today), and the Mariehamners will expect to take three points if they can find some form in front of goal – a record of just 22 goals this season shows why they are in the chasing pack and not among the title contenders.

Tampere United, who renewed their challenge for third place with that fortunate 1-0 victory over IFK last time out, make the long trip north to Rovaniemi to face RoPS. The game will be played at the renovated Keskuskenttä, as the Laplanders leave their temporary home at Susivouti, and with Antti Ojanperä out suspended for TamU their defence looks threadbare following the deadline day departures of Jussi Kujala and Mathias Lindström. RoPS will be without Korean keeper Kwon and midfielder Ville Syväjärvi, as well as 20 year-old striker Chanda Mwaba.

“We have to hold Chanda back, so he doesn’t return too soon,” RoPS coach Mika Lumijärvi told Veikkausliiga.com. “He will play in the Mypa match, and then we will see a very energetic Mwaba who can even win games on his own.”

RoPS are bottom of the table, but level on points with Jyväskylä team JJK, who travel to Turku to face Inter. The Jyväskyläns have stuttered in recent weeks, and they may yet rue the six drawn games they might have converted into wins. Their Macedonian striker Giorgi Hristov is a doubt for the Turku trip, and Koskela and Lähitie are both out. Grot and Gomez-Marttila will not be in Inter’s squad, as they look for a win so they can keep hoping for a European place.

Lastly, the relegation fight’s form team KuPS will travel to mid table Mypa. The Kuopio team have alread knocked Mypa out of the cup at Saviniemi, and if they can repeat the trick they’ll go a long way towards cementing their top flight status for another year. KuPS are missing Finland Under-21 striker Pele Koljonen, but coach Esa Pekonen is looking to keep his players grounded after their impressive rout of Haka.

“Everything went well for us in the Haka match,” Pekonen admitted. “Each match is a new game, and the risk with a big victory can be that people imagine things happen without the hard work. The coach should ensure above all that the team’s work ethic remains as good as in the past.”

Baxter has, of course, already dabbled with the re-building process but now the transition has to be implemented in practice. The Scot selected four former under 21 players in Tim Sparv, Perparim Hetemaj, Berat Sadik and Kasper Hämäläinen in the squad, but the real issue will be whether or not Baxter has the courage to use them in key roles to which they need to adapt before the Euro 2012 qualifiers. If he dares not commence the process fully in the match against Azerbaijan and especially Liechtenstein, what chance is there that he’ll do it against Wales and Germany in October?

The Finnish football media and fans have shown peculiar patience with Baxter despite the slow progress he has been able to make in terms of results and the re-building process; a character virtue most did not showcase when Roy Hodgson was in charge. This brings us to another more symbolic significance of the Azerbaijan match. The game functions as a possible re-enactment of the event that perversely came to define the whole period under Hodgson’s management: Finland lost 1-0 in Baku after a drab performance two years ago.

After the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign ended with a goalless draw in Porto in November 2008, leaving Finland out of the tournament by the narrowest of margins, it didn’t take long for most Finns to forget how successful the Hodgson era actually was: Finland were A SINGLE goal away from the biggest achievement in the history of the Finnish national team. Close but no celebrations in Senate Square and so the Mora knives were out and collectively stuck in the back of the Englishman as quickly as he turned it on the Finnish national team in order to pursue more realistic and appealing prospects elsewhere (he seems to have thought that saving Fulham, who were doomed to relegation in the late stages of the 2007-2008 season, was a more realistic task than dragging Finland to South-Africa from a group which includes Germany and Russia. And as it turned out, it was). Hodgson’s pragmatic tactics, the Azerbaijan match usually cited as key evidence, were branded as “anti-football” and “repulsive”.

True, Hodgson’s football wasn’t pretty and yes, he should’ve at least employed his full-back more in attack especially against weaker opponents. But prettiness doesn’t really come to the equation, especially to his equation. The point was that Hodgson’s Finland were at most times effective and his tactics were true to the most fundamental thesis in football management: utilise the qualities of your squad to the maximum. In other words, maximise the strengths of your team. Defence was the only real strength Hodgson’s Finland had and so he used all his organisational skills to make the Finnish defensive third a fortress. And for achieving this, Hodgson was chastised.

So far, Baxter has failed implementing a coherent playing style that would provide results as well as consistent performances; something that Hodgson delivered. There hasn’t been any feel-good victories like the Belgium game. No shock away triumphs like the Poland match. And no instances when Finland have held on to a victory by nail and teeth. Baxter’s Finland have been impressive at times but hardly ever a unit that fills you with confidence. Until now, only the Wales match has provided evidence to the contrary. Already after six games, qualifying hopes, that were alive until the final whistle of the last match in the Euro qualifiers, have been shattered as Finland have been able to collect only ten points. As yet only a few voices in the media have criticised the national team but now critical, demanding voices are beginning to be heard.

After Hodgson, the Finnish media and most football followers were more than happy to welcome the well-spoken Scot. And who can blame them? Baxter straight away gave the impression of being much more positive by nature and more involved in the over-all development of Finnish football than the serious and laconic Englishman. Baxter came across even as a bit of a romantic in his footballing ideology. In truth, however, when compared to his old-school predecessor, he is –in the absence of a better word– a modern pragmatist. Baxter likes to talk about the importance of creating a Finnish footballing identity and about building a new national squad by using the experienced players as a bedrock in the process. And he is right of course. Finland need to understand what they are about in footballing terms; to become conscious of their collective strengths and weaknesses, to increase the former and decrease the latter as effectively as possible. And oh yes, Finland must build a new national squad. He is also right in saying that it must be a disciplined and gradual process even though there are some very promising players coming through. This is all very well in theory but to implement these novel ideas in practice now when change has become a necessity, radical measures need to be taken. This is a dilemma Baxter is having trouble solving.

In terms of the overall picture of the national team’s and Finnish football’s progress, it is essential that the process is started well before the next Euro qualifiers for the simple reason that the new players will get experience from tough qualifying matches. In other words, it simply won’t be enough anymore that a couple of youngsters are included in the team. The re-building process is long overdue despite Baxter’s flirtations with a couple of inexperienced players such as Roni Porokara and Sparv. There are only four qualifying matches to go so there really is no more time to nest up-and-coming players on the bench. Baxter explained the slowness of the re-building process in Helsingin sanomat on 27 August by stating the obvious that there is a huge gap between the standards of the established players and the young players who are coming in. However, this is also the oldest explanation of a coach who is afraid of putting faith in youth. It is self-evident that young players are seldom tactically and/ or mentally ready to take the leap from the U21 team to the full national squad straight away. They need to adapt not only to the team’s tactical plan and the footballing requirements of international game but also to the customs and habits of the national team and because of this they should be gradually nurtured into the team. And all this naturally takes time. But time is something Finland have already wasted quite enough of, and so the process needs to start now, regardless whether the players in question tick all the boxes in Baxter’s definition of ‘being ready’.

So Baxter is in a tight spot. If he wants to be the high-priest of development he so keenly preaches about, he has to start hacking down some of the dead wood in the squad, even at the risk of deteriorating results. However, his courage might fail him when push comes to shove and he might trust in the old hands (meant not only in literal terms) to pull off the umpteenth one last hurrah (which in this case means a third place in the group, so hip hip hurrah indeed!) before the transition process is finally initiated. The romantic in him would probably take the hard way and wield the axe but the pragmatist seems to be too cautious to deliver what he has promised.

The case of Jukka Raitala

After the Euro U21 tournament, many people were demanding for a straightforward inclusion of many of the “Pikkuhuuhkajat” players to the full national team. With some (like Jukka Raitala, Hetemaj and Sparv) the calls were well-founded but with others (for instance, Teemu Pukki) they were, unfortunately, still premature. Baxter selected Sparv, Hetemaj, Hämäläinen and Sadik in the squad for the next two qualifying matches against Azerbaijan and Liechtenstein, as already mentioned. Statistically this is a great achievement, presuming that all of them become national team regulars. Four players coming through form one U21 team at the same time is basically a statistical anomaly. But then again, when one considers that the players will turn twenty-three or twenty-four before the start of the next qualifying campaign and when the fact is added that they share a total of nine full appearances between them, the statistics somehow do not impress that much any more. Even Italy, perhaps the most conservative of football nations, who are in a similar re-building process as Finland, have an equal number of ‘new’ players who were still qualified to play in the U21 tournament last June (the youngest of which is only eighteen). And mind you, the young Italians are in contention of being selected to the World Cup squad, not to a match against Liechtenstein.

Although in theory Baxter is right in saying that raw players need to learn to swim before throwing them in the deep end, with some players his protectiveness only fails to disguise his cautiousness. It is very questionable whether a friendly (like the Sweden match two weeks ago) or a qualifier against Liechtenstein would result in a figurative drowning of a player who has just taken the Euro U21 championships by storm and has a total of nineteen U21 caps . In Jukka Raitala Finland have a natural player for the troubling left-back position. The always uncomfortable but surprisingly efficient Toni Kallio made the position his own during Hodgson’s term but now his number seems to be up in terms of the national team selections.

Baxter is likely to use Niklas Moisander (a centre-back by trade at AZ Alkmaar) at left-back for the rest of the qualifiers and consequently deny Raitala the chance he unquestionably deserves. However, I certainly don’t mean that Moisander should be dropped. What I mean is that since, by any logic, Raitala will be Finland’s left defender for years to come, and should claim the position for himself already during the next qualifying campaign, he should at least be included in the squad. Moisander should play in the centre which would serve best the development of both the national team and the player. One cannot dismiss the experience Hannu Tihinen brings to the squad but it’s time for Moisander to step in. The U21 team won’t do any services to Raitala’s progress any more, that much we all saw in the U21 Euro Championships; and in the worst case, it could hamper his development.

A lack of respect for the Veikkausliiga

One of the biggest losses of this kind in Finnish football in the last few years was losing a huge talent in Markus Halsti. It fills me with a deep melancholy that the Malmö FF player, who was perhaps the most talented Finnish centre-back of the players born in the eighties, has not become a regular in the national team. It is almost impossible to say what causes a young player not to reach the pinnacle of his potential (with Halsti there were, for instance, injuries at crucial stages of his career and Keith Armstrong as coach at HJK, a coach who isn’t exactly renowned for his capability to develop young players). Whatever the reason, the selection policy used in the national team did not do him any favours either.

By looking at the selections of the Finnish national squad during the last couple of years, one can draw the conclusion that the national team coaches do not appreciate the Veikkausliiga as much as they should. Instead of selecting promising young Veikkausliiga players, there has been a predisposition to include players who play in Norway or Sweden (Juha Pasoja comes to mind). This begs the question: does a transfer to some mediocre club outside Finland really make you a better player? If a player is not good enough for selection when playing in the Veikkausliiga, does he become eligible, as if in a wave of a magic wand, when transferred abroad. Even though there have been hints that this trend might be changing (Joni Aho’s inclusion in the Sweden friendly was a positive surprise), there still remains a lingering feeling that Veikkausliiga players are overlooked by the Finland coaches.

Obviously any national team’s selection policy favours players who can instantly be fitted into the playing system without drastic changes in tactics. Therefore, the inclusion of a player like Pasoja can be justified because he is a like-for-like replacement for Tihinen (looks a bit like him as well). He’s rubbish perhaps but nevertheless a similar type of player. When looking at the big picture, however, in the case that there actually is a rare talent in the Veikkausliiga who is knocking on the door of the national team (like it was with Halsti and is with Raitala, who technically still is a Veikkausliiga player although he went on loan to Hoffenheim), it just escapes all meanings of the word ‘development’ (a word that Baxter, for one, likes to use) that they are overlooked.

To come back to the present situation, now that Finland have such an enormous, rare and ready talent like Raitala, they simply cannot afford to wait for the player to ‘come good’ before giving him a chance on the big stage. The big stage is exactly where a player like Raitala would show that. Finland are not Italy who can miss out on a couple of age-groups worth of talent without even making a dent in the squad. And if it should come down to it, I’d rather see Finland ‘losing’ a promising player every now and again by taking a gamble on him than by wasting age-group after age-group by categorically declining them opportunities to impress. It is obviously a huge responsibility for the coaching staff to make these kinds of decisions but hardly ever is a player’s career destroyed in a single game; I would like to think that the scouts monitoring a player’s progress are not dumb, and that the mentality of a young Finnish player is not that of a terrified and insecure teenager who will collapse after the first sign of failure.

If Baxter fails to provide the results in Azerbaijan and Liechtenstein, and more significantly if he doesn’t have the courage to start incorporating the fresh faces into the Finnish team, the patience shown by the Finnish fans and media must seriously start to drain out. If changes are not made before the next home match in October, the hard-core fans at the Olympic Stadium should not continue chanting “Baxterin johdolla” in a unanimous chorus of support. It is time to act but, unfortunately, there is a growing sensation that Stuart Baxter is all talk. The Azerbaijan game that came to define the Hodgson era, may do the same for Baxter. Hopefully, this time, in a positive light.

The weekend kicks off tonight, with Alexei Eremenko senior’s first game in charge of FF Jaro. The former JBK coach takes the reigns from Mika Laurikainen, who seemed bewildered that he got the sack after the team’s form collapsed following the announcement of his departure at season’s end. Jaro felt they might as well take matters into their own hands and appoint next year’s man now, and maybe it’ll work. Mypa are well-organised but prone to mistakes, so the game might be worth watching tonight. It’s on TV and streams at 7pm Finnish time.

Saturday

The weekend’s fixtures continue tomorrow with the return of Fulham star Wayne Brown. The poor mite seemed a little bit scared of the many burly, male TPS fans who professed their love for him before he left to go back to Fulham, but he is clearly the best player in the league and is now expected to win the title for TPS. They travel to Mariehamn, and should avoid defeat despite the Ålanders’ strong home record.

Then we have the almost irrelevant TamU trip to KuPS. Away games are about as much fun as meetings with the accountant for Tampere United, and KuPS have a lot more to play for. Expect the odds to be upset here.

Then we have Inter’s trip to Haka. Both teams have gone off the boil in recent weeks, and defeat here would rule them out of European contention. The game will include the annual reunion of former Haka players, which usually boosts bar takings for the club and extends half-time as each player is introduced to the crowd. This festive mood suited the away team last year, and Haka have been pretty generous at home recently. With their extensive injury list apparently including both their former Inter players, Mika Mäkitalo and Diego Corpache, Inter might well get a result in Valkeakoski.

Sunday

Sunday’s programme kicks off with HJK’s trip to Lahti. The game will be played at the compact, centrally located Kisapuisto ground, rather than the cavernous ski stadium, and the anticipated crowd should enjoy it if the weather is nice (only a small part of Kisapuisto is covered). Medo is out for HJK, Litmanen will play for Lahti, so I will rashly predict a home win.

Honka host JJK, who have a decent and improving away record. Lehkosuo will shuffle the pack a little to keep his players fresh, as Honka head into a crucial period in their title challenge.  It could be a dull, attritional game against JJK, but Honka should have enough in the tank to come through this one.

Lastly, we have RoPS v VPS. RoPS seem to be banking on winning their home games to survive, with many ‘injuries’ saving players long trips south for expected drubbings, so a home game against VPS would appear to be a home banker. You never know with RoPS though, so it isn’t quite that, but they look more likely to get something from this one than their next game, which is away at HJK.

TPS (2nd) – FC Inter (4th)

TPS have an excellent chance to kill of Inter’s title hopes, while Inter have an equally good opportunity to join the title race at the expense of their beloved neighbours. Four points separate the two teams in the league table. TPS are unbeaten in 11 games, and you have to browse the calendar back to early June to find a game TPS have  not dominated for some time in the game – Honka were the last team not to face heavy bombardment from the TPS attack. Inter have notched up two straight wins, although they have come against the worse teams in the league. Recent form only has limited significance in derbies, but TPS are playing better football at the moment, and go into the game as favourites. Any other result is not out of the question either, as both teams are likely to play with nerves. It is still Inter, not TPS, who need to up their game if they want to win.

Both teams have full squads, with the exception of TPS’ Simo Valakari.

Home win

FC Honka (3rd) – HJK (1st)

HJK have a quality squad that has earned them the top spot, but unfortunately their coaching is not quite up to the standard. Be it Muurinen’s weird choices or something else, they have a great tendency to do exactly what TPS (who are trailing HJK by two points) want them to do. In practice, it means drawing games like this. In fact, Honka are a good team, and HJK should be careful, as they are not really clear favourites going into this game against improving Honka.

John Weckström, Aleksandr Kokko and Markus Paatelainen are out for Honka, with Medo, Tuomas Haapala and Paulus Roiha sidelined for HJK. Ville Taulo is a doubt for the visitors.

Draw

FC Lahti (9th) – MYPA (11th)

Lahti’s European run ended on Thursday despite an encouraging draw at home against Club Brügge. It might work to Lahti’s advantage: everyone loves European games, but the tight schedule caused by the UEFA Europa League meant Lahti always had to build their line-up from scratch for every Veikkausliiga occasion, as they had to wonder who should be given a rest. Provided Lahti are not suffering from a European hangover and are focused on the league instead, they should edge this game.

Both sides have full squads to choose from as they go to Kisapuisto, Lahti’s temporary home for the duration of Women’s European Championships. Hooray, no ski jumping simultaneously with football!

Home win

IFK Mariehamn (6th) – RoPS (14th)

RoPS are the worst away team in Veikkausliiga, and would probably be succesful in Europe if there was a competition for traveling long distances only to lose a game of football. There is a slight contrast to IFK Mariehamn, who have yet to suffer a defeat at home during this season. Add the fact that the Rovaniemi side are making the longest trip of the season and you’re ready to do the math: it should be a comfortable win for IFK Mariehamn.

IFK are missing Johan Carlsson and Dmytro Pronevych. RoPS’ lucky absentee is Juuso Majava, who won’t grieve over missing the 10-hour bus trip.

Home win

Lahti are fresh from their exploits in Brugge, where they lost in a hopeful, promising, away-goals-scoring kind of a way. The other Finnish teams in Europe have been uniformly rubbish, so Finnish perceptions of the level of domestic football largely hang on the ability of Jari Litmanen and co to turn around a 3-2 deficit at the ski-jumping stadium on Thursday.

For that reason, I think Vepsu are going to win this one. While Levadia Tallinn, for instance, had their domestic schedule cleared so they could compete in Europe (their last domestic fixture before yesterday took place on the 11th of July, and the Estonian FA were subsequently rewarded with Levadia’s victory over Wisla Krakow), Lahti have been sent hither and thither in between their European ties. A long trip to RoPS brought three points but a chasing all over the park, by most accounts, while today they will have a 5 or 6 hour journey to Vaasa. Nice one, Veikkausliiga.

Home win

KuPS v FF Jaro, Sunday 6:30pm

Jaro have been rubbish since their coach, Mika Laurikainen, announced he was not staying on for next season. They played well against Haka in Valkeakoski, and should have won, but since then they’ve garnered one point from fifteen and dropped like a stone.

KuPS, on the other hand, have been excellent by their standards. Their only loss in the last five came against title favourites HJK, and they have developed a habit of winning at home that will give them a chance of overhauling RoPS to stay in Veikkausliiga.

Their youth policies are much more popular than RoPS’s cost-saving ‘buy a team of foreigners in April’ strategy, as this team will most likely stay together and improve regardless of divisional status, and their survival would be well received among Finns. Their young squad has recently been supplemented by imports (Nwakaeme, Ikudehinbu, Ollo), and they are looking good for a great escape.

Home win

Mypa v Honka, Sunday 6:30pm

Mypa are a simple team with simple goals. They beat the crap sides (RoPS, JJK), and lose to the better ones (Haka, TamU). They played some nice stuff against TamU at Ratina, with Ben Webster in particular getting his blocks and tackles in early and well, but they lacked an incisive edge going forward, where Saku Puhakainen is not quite the goal machine he used to be.

Honka, meanwhile, have a tough trip to Baku this week. The Azeri capital has a reputation as the graveyward of Finnish football, with the national team repeatedly suffering awful defeats their, and it looks as though Honka will do the same this week in front of 30,000 passionate fans. Their chairman told the press that he had not decided how they would travel to Baku, but that a charter would cost €55,000 and scheduled flights €700 per person. If they get the scheduled flights, they leave tomorrow. They should still have too much in the locker for Mypa, but with Schuller a doubt they might find it tough in midfield – they missed him against Qarabagh.

Draw

IFK Mariehamn v HJK, Sunday 6:30pm

One day, a Veikkausliiga manager is going to say ‘actually, I have absolutely no interest in taking charge of HJK. They don’t treat outsiders well there, they waste too much talent, and they have utterly failed to market themselves in the biggest city in the country. I’d rather stay where I am, ta very much.’ Let’s hope Pekka Lyyski does so today.

Yes, this is Olli-Pekka Lyytikainen’s club going to take on a another team managed by a guy touted in the press as Antti Muurinen’s replacement. Pekka Lyyski’s touting has been much lighter than Mika Laurikainen’s, and it’s difficult to imagine him leaving Åland, but still, this farcical managerial situation makes it very easy to dislike HJK. It can’t be easy to play for them, either, in the knowledge that the coach is going to change soon.The other ingredient in the HJK mix is TPS coach Pasi Rautiainen, whose mysterious contract situation lends itself to speculation about his commitment to TPS beyond this season.

Aki Riihilahti has re-joined Klubi and goes straight into the squad. He would make a fantastic coach, and might go some way to reducing the Klubi-hatred that severely hampers their efforts to become a financially sustainable organisation.

Home win

Haka v JJK, Sunday 6:30pm

Haka are playing really badly right now, despite signing Dutch forward Hans Denisson, and could come unstuck against an organised, motivated and improving JJK team. Although he doesn’t seem to do much, Giorgi Hristov is an excellent player and offers a stability in attack that they have lacked.

Haka’s season has been built on grinding out wins in the dull matches, and if they fail to beat the Jyväskyläns the pressure on Olli Huttunen may become unbearable.

Home win

What would a man want to do on a Friday night, if not go to a football game and watch it from behind a computer screen. My nerdiness at least has developed to such an extent that I am turning my back on Kari Tapio and Tapani Kansa and going to spend my evening on the computer, treating you to a live blog from Friday’s only Veikkausliiga game. The game is also on Urheilukanava, but our coverage might make a decent complementary good. Your comments are very welcome during the game, I’ll be doing my best to answer any questions.

COMMENTS:

Pasi Rautiainen, TPS head coach:

-Everyone was talking about how tough TamU are. This was an important win. We were good already when TamU had 11 men, but after the sending off we used the flanks much better due to the increased space. I know nothing about goalkeepers, but I think Kavén made some astonishing saves today. And to be honest about the ref, we could have been given another penalty or so, but TamU would also have deserved a penalty.

Jarno Heinikangas, TPS defender:

-For the first time this year we had the full game in balance. We were good already before Saarinen got sent off. We got a reward in the end.
-We’re unbeaten in 11 games now, and we certainly don’t want to lose when we play Inter next week. Derbies are games where the league table has no significance at all.

Ari Hjelm, Tampere United head coach:

-It’s obvious that TPS deserved to win, but the way in which it came hurts. First the linesman told the ref to give Saarinen his second yellow, the a last-minute penalty.

Juska Savolainen, Tampere United midfielder:

-When we had 11 men, we were okay defensively, but we were highly average offensively all through the game.

LIVE BLOG

90+2 min: 1-0 BROWN!!! Half the crowd stood up to see that happen! Exactly what TPS deserve! And there’s the final whistle!

90+2 min: Wusu brought down in the area by Kavén, penalty for TPS!!!

90+1 min: Another poor through ball from Manninen goes astray, and TamU get a goal kick.

90 min: Additional time 3 minutes.

88 min: So little time left, and it’s still stalemate. Even if there’s just one team on  the pitch. TPS have had enough chances to win five football games, yet they’re still not winning this one.

86 min: Incredible, Wusu misses from a metre away and does it again when he connects to Aalto’s cross! Kavén saves both efforts. Amazing misses.

84 min: Oh my. Hämäläinen has a perfect chance from just 7-8 metres, but it’s an easy one for Kavén. TPS are building from the back now, and the rhytmic clapping of the crowd helps them on before Iiro Aalto is flagged offside.

83 min: Another excellent attack ends in Brown shooting the ball wide. TamU can do nothing to prevent TPS from controlling the game, and the crowd are really supporting the home team now.

82 min: Vili Savolainen brings down Wusu and TPS get a free kick near the middle of the pitch. Nyberg connects, but it’s well wide. Lindström hurts himself, which is quickly noted by TPS fans – Lindström, mind you, is another former Inter player.

80 min: I saw a replay now, and it looked like a clean tackle to me. Petrescu brings down Nyberg, and gets a deserved booking. Petrescu is perhaps not the best player for this occasion, as he gets frustrated pretty easily. The free kick results in Heinikangas heading the ball well wide.

78 min: Ääritalo plays his way into the area where he is brought down. The players, Rautiainen and the crowd protest furiously. Things are getting heated here! Those of you who saw it, was it a penalty?

77 min: TamU look like a Sunday league team, to be honest. They have only ten men, but this is embarrassing. TPS have only themselves to blame if they don’t win this game.

74 min: An excellent chance for Paatelainen from 11 metres, but he misses it! That looked like a certain goal. Ääritalo’s follow-up is cleared for a corner. Manninen connect’s to the corner, but Kavén saves.

72 min: Rafinha is brought down in the area, but is not given a penalty – even the TPS players looked like they were expecting it to happen! Niemi out, Petrescu in.

72 min: Watching TPS is really a joy at the moment. They intercept what little efforts TamU have, and quickly counter. Another such occasion sees Manninen waste a cross, once again. If there’d only be more decent crosses, TPS would be ahead. Petrescu about to come on for TamU.

70 minutes: Another quick, excellent attack for TPS, but Manninen’s cross is deflected out for a corner. Kavén easily picks out Brown’s corner.

68 minutes: Ääritalo comes in for TPS, replacing Chris Cleaver in the process. Ääritalo has already scored a couple of late goals for TPS, and the crowd would love to see another one today.

67 min: Wusu is annoyed as the ref decides he fouls a TamU player. He shows what he thinks about the decision using the ball as his tool, and Munukka is happy to produce a booking.

66 min: The second corner results in a TamU goal kick. While taking it, Kavén demonstrates TamU’s panic, as his goal kick goes right into the stands. Rafinha is playing up front for TamU now.

65 min: Oddly, centre-back Jaakko Nyberg finds himself intercepting a ball deep in the offensive end, but he does win a corner. Cleaver connects and Kavén manages to stretch in the way of the ball before a TamU defender clears it for another corner. That was close!

65 min: Rähmönen buys a corner off Ruuth. Brown sends it in, Vili Savolainen clears. TamU haven’t seen a glimpse of the TPS goal in minutes.

64 min: Manninen’s first good cross of the game, and  Brown connects. Not much wide.

63 min: Following Saarinen’s early shower (although he hasn’t taken one step towards the bathroom after he left), Kangaskolkka is taken off for Ilari Ruuth. The fourth official sends Saarinen on his way now, to the delight of the crowd.

60 min: Saarinen brings Manninen down and gets a booking, which means he is given his marching orders as it his second yellow. Rafinha blabs himself a booking too. Saarinen comfortably sits on the bench, and the crowd point out that he shouldn’t be there – which, according to my knowledge of the rules, is true. TPS should take the game now.

58 min: Rähmönen gently touches Rafinha, who waves his hand at the ref. That is enough to convince Munukka that he actually needs to give a free kick. It comes to nothing though.

56 min: TamU are struggling again, mainly because their passing is an insult to Finnish top flight football. TPS have still not created real chances though.

54 min: Cleaver lifts the ball into the area, but it’s a bit too high  for Paatelainen. Paatelainen wants a penalty, but he was never going to get it.

51 min: Wusu buys a corner off a TamU player. Heinikangas connects with a good header, but it goes a bit high of the goal. TPS’ Yll Hoxha, Mika Ääritalo and Riku Riski are warming up now, while Tomi Petrescu is the lone TamU exerciser. TPS fans do not appreciate Petrescu too much, not least because of the time he spent at Inter, so expect some boos if he comes on.

48 min: A poor pass from Cleaver almost sets up a breakaway for TamU, but Kangaskolkka cannot reach the ball before Lehtovaara has it firmly in his hands. TamU are looking better now, this could be a contest after all.

47 min: Brown gets a chance to shoot. He drives it in low from 20 metres, but Kaven stops the shot. Egan, I’m not sure if it’s about the combination of Wusu and Paatelainen. Wusu has been alright to my eye, but Paatelainen loses way too many balls in his flank.

46 min: TamU have substituted Henri Scheweleff in favour of Jonne Hjelm. Hjelm has been criticised recently, but Scheweleff was not better than anyone else.

45 min: Here we go again, TamU kick off this time.

45 min: And that’s the first half. TPS by far the better team, TamU the marionettes. It might change for the second half though, TamU can’t possibly be worse than they were now.

42 min: Uh-oh. Lehtovaara comes out to clear an easy ball, but a bad first touch sends it to the stands. It doesn’t matter though, because TamU produce what could be the worst throw-in I have ever seen a professional team take. TPS have the ball again in no time.

38 min: Manninen wastes a TPS attack as his “cross” goes behind.

36 min: TamU are actually struggling to do something useful with a simple throw-in. A throw in their offensive end results, inexplicably, in a TPS free kick.

32 min: You are right, puntteri, there is no proof TPS will carry on playing like this in the second half especially if they get a goal in the first. Last Monday’s JJK game was a perfect indication of that. But if TamU go on playing like this and TPS capitalise on any one half-decent chance, picking the winner won’t be too difficult.

30 min: TPS could have created a solid attack there, but Brown’s lob bass that resembles a clearance makes it easy for TamU to defend.

28 min: TamU are once again left wondering what could have been as Rafinha finds some space down the right flank, but Aalto manages to get in and make Rafinha deflect the ball beyond the touchline.

27 min: Bob Latchford, right now it looks like there could well be a goal for TPS in the first hour. They haven’t had many real chances yet, but they are by far the better team now. A dive from Kangaskolkka which Munukka, fortunately, doesn’t buy.

25 min: A TPS free kick from the left results in a goal kick for TamU as Nyberg is unable to connect.

23 min: Paatelainen almost connects to Manninen’s cross from the right, but can’t keep the ball from going out for a throw.

21 min: An excellent long ball from Hämäläinen almost lets in Wusu, who is caught offside by a fraction.

19 min: Munukka just discovered that he does carry the cards with him – I thought he left them on the kitchen table. Saarinen slides in on Cleaver after the Brit has already passed the ball to a team-mate, and is given an Easter card.

17 min: This is getting embarassing for Munukka. Wusu almost gets free of the last defender, who brings him down. Instead of giving the obvious free kick, Munukka waves play on. I wonder if I have ever heard a Veikkausliiga crowd whistling so loud at the ref. Rautiainen finds it hard to stay off the pitch. Awful refereeing both ways here, so he fully deserves it.

15 min: Jari Niemi brings down Manninen, and Munukka plays advantage. Rautiainen’s face turns red of all the anger that he expresses, but it’s no use. Niemi would’ve deserved a booking there, but the ref only only has a brief chat with him.

14 min: A rabbit steals the show for a minute as the poor animal runs all across the pitch before finally leaving through the gate like any decent supporter.

13 min: Paatelainen wastes a chance of a TPS counter-attack when his poor pass doesn’t reach Wusu. When TamU build a quick attack, Rafinha is brought down near the edge of the area but the free kick is not given.

12 min: Kangaskolkka makes the worst dive ever when it dawns on him that he can’t get past Jaakko Nyberg. Nyberg easily takes the ball, probably with a smile on his face.

11 min: TamU get a corner and play it short. Juska Savolainen eventually gets a shot on target, but does not get enough power behind the shot to stretch Jukka Lehtovaara.

10 min: Aalto slides in on a TamU player, and gives away a free kick. The home crowd is not having it, and it did look a bit dubious. TPS coach Pasi Rautiainen does not appreciate the decision either.

9 min: Wusu gives an excellent ball to Manninen, who is brought down near the edge of the area. It looks like a certain free kick, but the ref is not interested. He might have gone easily, but I can’t see why he’d do so on purpose in a position like that.

7 min: The home supporters sound their appreciation as TPS excellently prevent TamU from building an attack. Their pressing and passing is very good at the moment.

5 min: TamU might be able to build an attack here, as Rähmönen thinks he has won a throw-in for TPS but the ref signals a TamU throw instead. As a result, Saarinen has an which goes a long way wide.

3 min: Aalto plays an excellent ball for Paatelainen, but Paatelainen fails to take the ball past any TamU players. TPS are firmly in control now.

2 min: Manninen slides in on Kangaskolkka, who is squeezed between Cleaver and Manninen, and cleanly wins TPS a throw-in. Kangaskolkka hurts himself, but is back on the pitch soon enough.

1 min: A cross from Rähmönen causes some panic in TamU’s penalty area, but the combination of Brown, Wusu and Paatelainen fail to get a shot in.

1 min: Manninen tries to cross from the right, but the ball reaches no TPS players and goes out for a throw-in.

0 min: Here we go, TPS kick off the game. Do comment, if you have any questions or thoughts you’d like to share with us.

-2 min: The players are on the pitch now. Antti Munukka will officiate the game, to the disappointment of many fans it seems. Both teams have a good number of supporters at the stadium, so it should be a good game in therms of the atmosphere.

-5 min: Here I am, after some inconvenience. I just broke my seat with my 20 kg body, somebody should try and do something about these seats. Former CEO of TPS, Petri Jakonen, has been spotted as well as Hannu Jortikka, a legendary hockey coach. Meanwhile on the pitch, a dance show just ended. Whoever decided they bring anything extra to the event? Anyway, the line-ups are as follows:

TPS: Lehtovaara; Aalto, Heinikangas, Nyberg, Rähmönen; Hämäläinen, Cleaver; Paatelainen, Brown, Manninen; Wusu
Tampere United: Kavén; Saarinen, Lindström, Kujala, Ojanperä; Vili Savolainen, Juska Savolainen; Scheweleff, Niemi, Rafinha; Kangaskolkka

PREVIEW

TPS are second in the league, trailing HJK by four points. They could really use a win today, because three points would give them some breathing space between them and their closest competitors. One of those competitors is TamU, who have claimed the sixth spot and are only three points behind TPS, owing to their recent good form. In other words, a TamU win would leave TPS wondering what might have been as they would watch TamU occupy a podium position. TPS already dropped two points at JJK on Monday, only because they gave away possession in the second half after being by far the dominant force in the first half. Another such mess-up would give everyone a good reason to doubt their title credentials.

However, TPS have not lost since mid-May and TamU have not managed to beat them in the last three fixtures between the two sides. Moreover, they have a healthy squad, while Toni Järvinen, Antti Pohja, Jusu Karvonen, Chris James and Aapo Lappalainen. That should be enough to make TPS slight favourites in this one.

Home win

This season has been even more .. well… interesting. Early in the summer the coach was allowed to leave, the new coach introduced a bus load of new players from Lithuania – his own native country – and another load of Atlantis players decided to abandon the club in which they saw no future not for themselves, given that they had not been paid for quite some time. The FA allowed them to break their contracts and look for new teams.

As a result of all of this Atlantis was withdrawn from most bookies offerings. There were some brave individuals still selling and buying it at Betfair, but the general opinion of the club was… careful, cautious. Many people in the business talked about worst case scenarios, remembering the case of a certain Chinese businessman getting involved in a Finnish football club called Allianssi a couple of years back. That was a sad story about corruption and fixing games professionally, a lesson to be learned.

A couple of months have passed by. The Lithuanians have not gained many new friends in the country. The team has been seen by some as a joke, a disgrace, something that should not exist. The results are poor, the performances in the beginning were awful. Nothing was well or peaceful in the Atlantis camp.

I must admit, I have been suspicious about all of this. Being a football romantic myself I do want to believe in honest games and see the players do their best. All of the players, including goalkeepers. All the staff, coaches, agents, directors. There are bent people in the business, but let us suppose this is not the case and see if there is anything to be found bettingwise of this derby between Atlantis and PK-35.

The bookies offered last week prices of more than 5 for Atlantis home win, and seems like they have learned nothing from that game as there is still 5.00 at Stan James for Atlantis. I know, they know their business and some of them are very well aware of the improvement at Atlantis, but they can not offer too big odds for PK-35 either for risk management reasons.

In the last weeks´s game KPV were slightly better in the first half undeservedly winning it 0-2, but after a 20 minutes long strategy session at the half-time break the team that came out of the Atlantis dressing-room was performing the best football seen at this level in this country this season. They scored early, they hit the post, one of their goals was disallowed, they were not awarded the penalty they fully deserved. They ran over KPV, they should have won comfortably, and KPV is a quality team.

An outstanding performance, which is rewarded with being chosen the Puntteri Midweek Pick. I am sure they must be proud!

Atlantis 5.00 at Stan James, my estimation for this match is roughly 34-32-34. Value, but again not a sure winner. No handicaps this time. When the SJ price drops, you will find a bit lower prices at a bookie near you.

Funnily enough, there is a replay next Sunday, as this game has been rescheduled from 10.7.

Atlantis results so far, which do not support my pick, only my eyes and experience of the game do.

25-07-2009 13:00 Atlantis-KPV 1-2
19-07-2009 15:45 KPV-Atlantis 2-0
15-07-2009 15:30 Viikingit-Atlantis 1-0
10-07-2009 15:30 Atlantis-PK-35 postponed
17-06-2009 15:30 Atlantis-Klubi 04 1-5
14-06-2009 15:30 Atlantis-H-Linna 1-2
07-06-2009 15:30 Oulu-Atlantis 3-0
31-05-2009 15:30 Kiisto-Atlantis 1-1
26-05-2009 15:30 Atlantis-KooTeePee 1-1
21-05-2009 15:30 TP-47-Atlantis 0-1
17-05-2009 15:30 Atlantis-JIPPO 0-2
10-05-2009 15:30 KEPS-Atlantis 2-1
03-05-2009 15:30 Atlantis-PoPa 0-1
24-04-2009 15:30 Viikingit-Atlantis
17-04-2009 15:30 Klubi 04-Atlantis 4-1

HJK (1st) – Haka (3rd)

Another true classic of Finnish football. HJK are topping the table four points adrift from TPS and Haka, and a win for the Helsinki side would give them some breathing space. TPS are likely to take three points at JJK on Monday and stay in the title race, but a HJK win tonight would leave Haka trailing by some distance.

Both teams are having some trouble at the moment. Haka have lost two games in a row, the more notable game being their 3-0 defeat at home against TPS in a top clash. That game could be indicative of Haka’s ability to cope with pressure, as it was the campaign’s first big game with regards to the title race. They are also considerably weakened by the abscencies of Pietari Holopainen and Diego Corpache. Kalle Parviainen, Nicolas Kivistö and Gabriel Ruiz are also missing.

HJK are unbeaten in six consecutive Veikkausliiga fixtures, but their confidence must have taken a battering earlier this week when they let Lithuanian minnows FK Vetra cancel out Klubi’s two-goal lead – at home! It was the biggest cock-up from a Finnish team in Europe for years, and whether HJK manage to pick up their spirits or continue dwelling in misery is a major talking point in this game. Judging by the sheer quality of their players, they have a good squad to choose from, with Paulus Roiha being the only absentee.

Haka should be stronger on the mental side, despite missing some key players. While HJK could well be hungover from their premature European drop-out and ill-equipped to play a very important league game, Haka will know that they cannot afford to lose this game if they want to stay in the title race. Whether they can deal with the pressure largely affects the result. It’s your choice really, but betting on an away win should give the better odds.

Last meeting: Haka – HJK 1-2, April 29th 2009

Away win

KuPS (14th) – IFK Mariehamn (4th)

KuPS have showed some glimpses of their ability in recent times, but have not been able to keep up the good work for the whole 90 minutes. A perfect example is their last Sunday’s 1-1 draw against injury-ridden Lahti: KuPS had the game under their control in the first half and went into the dressing room ahead, but the second half was less impressive. Lahti managed to pull level and KuPS were left firmly seated in the relegation spot.

IFK Mariehamn have been surprisingly impressive all season. They are unbeaten in 11 consecutive games now, and their counter-attacking style poses an ever-present threat to the opposition. Unlike KuPS, who are missing no less than four players, IFK almost have a full squad to choose from. Sasha Anttilainen is the only absentee. The quality should tell by the final whistle, and the Islanders should go home the happier side.

Last meeting: IFK Mariehamn – KuPS 3-0, April 29th 2009

Away win

Tampere United (7th) – MYPA (10th)

Tampere United have been sketchy all season, and must start collecting three-pointers now if they want to be involved in Europe next year. Both sides have improved recently, however, and we could just see the two teams higher up in the league table after a few months.

MYPA are not a poor side, but TamU have a slightly better crop of players. If they are up to the challenge of playing catch-up, they are the more likely winners despite having lost the campaign’s first clash between these two sides.

TamU are missing Antti Pohja, Ilari Ruuth, Chris James and Aaro Lappalainen. Sampsa Timoska is out for MYPA.

Last meeting: MYPA – Tampere United 4-1, April 29th 2009

Home win

FC Honka (6th) – VPS (9th)

Honka are likely to be in high spirits after living up to expectations and beating Bangor City in the UEFA Europa League, but they must keep focused in Veikkausliiga as well if they are to take on another European campaign one year from now. Four points behind the top three currently occupying the European positions, they cannot settle with draws any more.

More surprisingly, VPS could soon be involved in the European race. While they are only outside contenders for Europe, their form ever since Petri Vuorinen and Juha Reini took over as the coaching team has made them a force to be reckoned with. Furthermore, they have a great tendency to perform well against Honka. A VPS win would be really something, but a draw at least is within their grasp.

Honka are missing Markus Paatelainen, whose season is over before it ever started, and John Weckström. Petteri Forsell, Joacim Tuuri, Jyrki Saranpää and Jussi Äijälä are out for VPS.

Last meeting: VPS – FC Honka 2-5, April 27th 2009

Draw

For a preview of the RoPS – FC Lahti game, see Puntteri’s excellent Pick of the Week.

Inter aim to recover from their European elimination (more on this later) with a trip to Jakobstad to meet FF Jaro. The town is currently celebrating Jakob’s days, an annual festival of bachanalian debauchery, and the game will take place amid hangovers aplenty. If Jaro’s players avoid them, they will have a good chance of beating Inter, whose season is all but over after recent disappointments in League and Europa League.

Ramirez and Lehtonen are suspended for Inter, with Grot injured. They are all important players. Jaro are missing Fellman who is doing his military service, long term injury victims Jari Sara and  Heikki Aho, and Koljander who is suspended. Sarajärvi may be on the bench but Tillman Grove, Jaro’s new German fullback who arrived from Hamburger SV’s youth set up to play until the end of Veikkausliiga’s season, is not eligible until 1 August.

Home win

Jekyll and Hyde team RoPS host FC Lahti this weekend

Latest 6 games from the right:
RoPS: 0-0-3-0-3-3 —- Lahti: 0-0-3-1-1-1

Head  to Head: 3-8-9

This season: 29.04.2009 Lahti – RoPS 4-1

The head to head stats do not support my idea of picking RoPS to be the pick of the weekend. Neither does their last result, as they lost 4-0 at MYPA. They also lost the first round game against Lahti, 4-1 away. Yet, I am pretty confident, and here is why.

RoPS do have the same problem year after year. They are always late when building the team and the early pre-season games are usually plain horrible as a lot of new players – most of them from Africa – are trying to get to used to the coldness and darkness that only Finnish Lapland can offer. The methods are different. Their fellow players are new. The pitch is either artificial or in appalling condition. The other teams seem to run over you, having started the pre-season 2-3 months earlier. The match-fitness is low and the run of losses does not really build up the self-confidence.

Then comes summer. There are already some  games under your belt, some wins perhaps and the team has been built. It is complete.  It has been born. The individual skill of the players is starting to show, the team is a unit. Even the local community is behind you again, supporting you. The northerners are used to their Africans by now. Things are picking up.

The trip to Rovaniemi is a long one. Some teams fly. Some do not. The home crowds are not big, but fierce. The team performs better at their home ground, which this season has been a temporary one at Susivouti and is in even worse condition than their usual ground. An unforgettable experience for the poor away team.

RoPS’s 6 home games so far have produced 2 losses, 1 draw and 3 wins, and there are a lot of speculations to be done about the losses if you so wish. Against Inter RoPS missed not one but two penalty kicks. Against Honka RoPS was in the lead until the 89th minute. The draw against Mariehamn is another excellent result.

RoPS vs. FF Jaro 5:3
RoPS vs. JJK 2:1
RoPS vs. FC Honka 1:2
RoPS vs. HJK 1:0
RoPS vs. IFK Mariehamn 0:0
RoPS vs. FC Inter 0:2

I see RoPS as one of the absolute best home teams in the Veikkausliiga.

The away team FC Lahti is another matter. They have travelled so far for seven away games and they won, well, they have not yet won  a single game. The stats show 0 wins, 4 draws and 3 losses from their travels.

What is important here is that Lahti is still in the Europe League after winning Slovenian Gorica by 2-1 aggregate. It is a historical success for FC Lahti and their happy and proud players, apart for the legendary Jari Litmanen. Next week they travel to Belgium to meet Club Brugge.

Guess where the concentration is? Are they happy to take the Lapland trip now? Risk themselves getting injured and missing the highlight of the season?

The focus is on next Thursday. RoPS is just an obstacle, a distraction.

RoPS are not going to lose. If you want to take it safe, RoPS with a 0 handicap gives you 2.19 at Sbobet. It means that if the match is drawn the stake is returned. European bookies offer around 3 for a straight RoPS which is also a value bet.

My limit for RoPS dnb (draw-no-bet) is way under 2.00, and I can not see that this price lasting long.

Pasi Rautiainen is one of the funniest men in Veikkausliiga, and after 7,319 people filled Kupittaa Stadium today for Tepsi’s crucial clash with HJK he was in the mood to entertain. TPS had clawed back a point through Mika Ääritalo in the 86th minute after Chris Cleaver had earlier put through his own goal to give HJK the lead, and Pasi was very happy with the crowd, his players, and the general feeling around the club.

“It was a wonderful crowd today,” Rautiainen told the press (hat tip to Lari Vesander, who provides the most complete press conference coverage I can find). “Thanks for the support.”

The big crowd was also present in the new stand at the icehall end of Kupittaa, which gave the game a special atmosphere. Pasi’s happiness was completed by his brithday, (“I’m 35 today!”, he lied), and by happy family events that have taken place in the Tepsi camp this week.

“Unbelievably wonderful things have happened in the last 24 hours, even before Klubi came here,” continued Rautiainen. “Jallu Heinikangas last night became the father of a baby girl. Two days ago Wayne Brown got his girlfriend here. Yesterday he wasn’t the best at training, for obvious reasons, today he was already a little bit sharper. I don’t know how long this girlfriend is staying here, but I guess that by the end of the week he’ll be even sharper in Jyväskylä.”

Brown will return to Fulham at the end of the month, and the loan move has been a success for all concerned. Brown has helped TPS, gotten himself some valuable experience, and now returns to London brimming with confidence, ready to fight for a place in Fulham’s squad. He’s been very impressive at Veikkausliiga level, but slotting into a Fulham team where he isn’t the main man could be more difficult. As for Tepsi, Brown’s return to Fulham will create a gap in their attacking strategy that could be filled by Mika Ääritalo, Mikko Manninen stepping up, or maybe even 19 year old Riku Riski. The youngster has been on the bench for Tepsi recently, but as his side enter the run-in with a chance of the title, he will surely be asked to step up.

In the other games, IFK and Honka drew 1-1, as did Lahti and KuPS thanks to a quite amazing own goal from Prince Ollo in the 84th minute after Pele Koljonen had put KuPS ahead in the 17th, while Mypa hammered RoPS as expected.  On Saturday Haka’s miserable form had continued, with a 1-0 defeat at home to a well-drilled VPS, while a Georgi Hristov-inspired JJK beat Inter in front of a 3,159 crowd to maintain their status as the relegation candidate best-equipped to escape the drop.

There is a good YLE report on TPS-HJK and Honka-IFK Mariehamn, and for the Iltalehti highlights just click on the scores:

TPS 1 HJK 1

Honka 1 IFK Mariehamn 1

KuPS 1 Lahti 1

Mypa 4 RoPS 0

JJK 1 Inter 0

Haka 0 VPS 1

Tampere United travel to Jakobstad today for a Jakobsdagar special, on UTV and streams from 7pm Finnish time.