FF Jaro moves up to the Veikkausliiga football after dramatic stages.
27.10. 18:06•Updated 27.10. 18:20
The first league club FF Jaro will be promoted to the Veikkausliiga. The rise was confirmed on Sunday in Lahti after dramatic stages.
FC Lahti already had time to celebrate the equalizer in extra time, when Luke Ivanovic got a loose ball that rolled in the box into the net. The people of Lahti had time to celebrate in ecstasy for a long time, until a lengthy VAR review turned the verdict into an offside.
Consequently, Jaro moved up to the Veikkausliiga dramatically with a total of 2–1. It had won the opening part with 2–0 goals, so Lahti’s equalizer would have taken the decision to the next match.
– Pretty absurd (feeling). We gave it our all. There were places to get out of this swamp. When it comes to drawing 3D lines and the goal is taken away from us, it’s pretty hard to understand, FC Lahten Riku Selander upset .
The VAR verdict also made a big dent in FC Lahti’s wallet, because playing in the Veikkausliiga automatically guarantees the club solidarity money worth hundreds of thousands of euros.
– Yes, VAR saved us today. We certainly wouldn’t have gotten off that if it had been approved. Absolutely great feeling. I can’t say anything else at the moment, FF Jaro’s coach Niklas Vidjeskog inch.
A big deal for the whole of Pietarsaari
The people of Pietarsaari have last played in the Veikkausliiga in the 2015 season. Lahti, on the other hand, was last relegated in the 2010 season and rose back to the main league in the 2011 season. Vidjeskog believes that the promotion means a lot to the whole of Pietarsaari.
– The whole city has been living football for the last few weeks. Even today, there was a large audience from St. Petersburg. Jaro is the team of the entire city and region. This means a lot.
Two tough guys
The qualifier offered drama right from the start. Starting with a two-goal lead, Jaro remained on the defensive right from the start.
FC Lahti got the penalty already in the 25th minute, when Edwin Crona broke Eemeli Virtaa. Lahten by Michael Lopez however, the striker missed the goal by tens of centimeters.
Lopez got closer ten minutes later when a shot from fifteen meters hit the left post. However, FF Jaro’s problems really only started in the second half.
Jaro broke the penalty for the second time in the 56th minute. This time he shot Luquinhaswho stopped his momentum and safely placed the ball in the left corner. A moment later, the people of Lahti still got the upper hand, when Adam Vidjeskog was sent off for another yellow card.
– Hard to describe with words. Of course, we got a good result from the opening game and went into this game with a 2-0 lead. This was going to be a really, really, hard game. It was a struggle, but now let’s enjoy it, FF Jaron Sergei Eremenko rejoiced.
Walter Kronqvist interviewed Selander, Vidjeskog and Eremenko.