The people of Kitee have a chance to secure their place in the quarterfinals on Thursday, when KiPa and Imatra’s Pallo-Veikot meet in Imatra.
Kiteen Pallo’s home advantage in Rantakentä held when the men of KiPa and Imatra’s Pallo-Veikko started the Superpesis playoffs on Wednesday by qualifying for the quarterfinals.
KiPa won the run 1–0 (1–1, 2–1), so the place as Kouvola’s Ballonlöjien’s opponent in the quarterfinals is on the line on Thursday in Ukonniemi, Imatra.
– This was a victory, even though athletically there was still room for improvement. Sometimes you suffer when you lose, but not often, said KiPa’s game director Sami Partanen.
The lack of runs in the opening period was guaranteed by KiPan, who made half a dozen shots to a man in the outings Anttoni Jakobsson and brilliantly withstood the IPV of the hosts’ bombardment Eero Kuitunen. The hero of KiPa’s second period had beaten the kunnar (1+1) with his strike in the second period Juho Keinänen (at 6/9). IPV was ahead 13-9 in three-point situations.
IPV heard about its entry into the quarter-finals only yesterday, Tuesday. The team was preparing for the relegation qualifiers starting on Friday, but playing for a place in the league changed to fighting for a place in the quarter-finals, when Seinäjoki’s JymyJussit unexpectedly lost its place in the main league in the middle of the season due to financial issues.