The Finnish championship is decided in Helsinki at the Töölö football stadium between HJK and Kuopio Palloseura. Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi is very close to the fourth consecutive championship: it would secure first place in the series even with a 0–2 loss. KuPS is three points away from the Helsinki team and its goal difference is five goals worse than HJK, so the Kuopio team would need at least a three-goal win to win the championship.
The people of Kuopio have nothing to lose in the match. The minimum goal, i.e. silver and a place in the European Games, has already been secured, so it can go for big wins in a pressure-free environment.
– There is a Eurocup spirit here, but the game plan is based on our own game. This week, however, we have gone through a little more, for example, special situations and certain focuses of the game, so that we are able to maximize the fact that we have the opportunity to score goals, head coach Jani Honkavaara says to Urheilu.
The KuPS season can be divided into three different periods. Pasi Tuutti got fired after only three matches, when the team from Kuopio had only one point. After Honkavaara jumped to the sticks, KuPS won nine of their next ten games. Around Midsummer, the winning machine started coughing, and from the end of summer Urho Nissilä left a team that has also been plagued by injuries. However, KuPS has collected enough points to hang in the championship fight, and in the last match of the season, the championship is still possible, although not likely.
In the meetings of the Kuopio Ball Club this week, a video of the 10,000 meters race of the Munich Olympics from 1972 has been watched. Lasse Virén fell, got up and won Olympic gold in the ME time.
– After all, HJK has a huge head start. We have to get the pressure created so that they end up with a press. We have to be crazy and do crazy things on the field, but keep our wits about us, KuPS captain Anton Popovich says.
– When I get the first goal to start, I’m sure the HJK players will also think, what if!
HJK’s championship drinks were already cold before the national team break. It was tied in Vaasa and in the championship until the last seconds of extra time, but VPS took the lollipop out of the mouth with a 3–2 winning goal created from the last situation of the match. Töölö does not want to remember the game from a couple of weeks ago on Saturday.
– Everyone has handled it in their own way. It was a big disappointment, but nothing was lost. It was one last minute loss and they always weigh. At that point it weighed even more. But that’s gone. You can’t change the result anymore, so there’s no point in remembering it, HJK captain Miro Tenho stress.
HJK, which won the three previous championships, has been in a strong mood at the end of the summer. Toni Koskelan replaced as head coach Toni Korkeakunnas took the club to the group stage of the Conference League, and the first loss in the Veikkausliiga came after eight wins and one draw against VPS. The club does not intend to go into the match to defend its three-goal lead.
– We are HJK and we play here in Töölö. We start from the fact that we win, and we don’t start calculating any goal differences. Of course we are aware of the starting situation, but we have no other idea than to win, says Korkeakunnas.
– The last time KuPS was here, we unfortunately ended up in a draw. It was sad even then. We don’t think about anything but winning.
The recent history between the teams is very even. KuPS has not taken any crushing victories, but HJK’s previous victory over KuPS is from 2020
2. Relegation battle: KTP–IFK Mariehamn
The two worst teams in the series are already clear, but the order is open. KTP and IFK Mariehamn are facing each other in the final round in Kotka. KTP is one point ahead of Åland, so a draw at home would be enough for them to avoid last place. Seriejajumbo will be relegated directly, the second last will qualify for the league place against either Gnistan or SJK Akatemia.
The stakes of the match are also huge financially. The Veikkausliiga clubs receive around half a million euros just for participating in the series, thanks to Sanoma’s TV contract and the solidarity money of the European Football Association. There is quite a gap left in the cash register for the fall season.
– This game is really important, as everyone probably understands. It is important for the club and the players, contracts, the future of the players and the club, KTP captain David Ramadingaye enumerates.
KTP has the home advantage in the fateful match and it is enough to avoid defeat, but the team’s mood has been terribly weak recently. Jussi Leppälahten replaced as head coach at the end of August Juha Malinen the balance is sad: there have been six losses in six games. The last time the team won was in mid-August.
– Teams in pretty good shape have been met in previous games, but that doesn’t explain it. We could have scored more points, but we haven’t. Now we only focus on this next thing, says Juha Malinen.
– We have conceded two goals in the game, so the defense needs to be fixed. Scoring hasn’t been easy all season, but we have to add something extra to this game.
IFK Mariehamn has received four points from its three previous games, but it has taken up to eight red cards during the season. Two of them came in the last game, so it was the goalkeeper who got showered Elmo Henrikson and Jiri Nissinen are banned from the game. The same fate applies to those who have filled up their warning account Timi in Lahti.
3. Goal kingship: Radulovic or Michael?
The competition for Veikkausliiga’s top scorer is also still open, but miracles would be needed to change the top spot. Scored the second most goals in the league Peter Godly Michael has already reached them earlier this season.
The Nigerian striker of VPS, who was chosen as the player of the year, is chasing the top ranked HJK Bojan Radulovic from three goals behind. In the early season, Michael didn’t even want to hit the wall of the barn, but after Midsummer, everything changed. The powerhouse, which protects the ball well, scored only one goal in the 11 matches of the season, but after that the nets started swinging at a furious pace. 14 goals have been scored in the last 14 games, and Michael’s god-mode has already won VPS bronze before the final round. In the final game, VPS will face their dear enemy Seinäjoki Football Club, and the final result of the match will have no effect on the ranking of either side.
Bojan Radulovic’s season has been great, and the risk levels required by KuPS’ title hunt will likely open opportunities for the Serbian-Spanish striker to score more goals in the final match of the season. In addition to 18 Veikkausliiga hits, Radulovic has scored five goals for HJK in European games. The excellently successful attacker will probably be in demand after the season outside Finland’s borders as well. Last season’s goal king Lee Erwin moved from FC Haka to Lebanon, but Radulovic’s skills would be enough for a much tougher league.
The games of VPS and AC Oulu will continue after the final round in the Euro final tournament.
You can watch the HJK-KuPS final round match on ‘s website, TV2 and Areena starting at 4:45 p.m. The broadcast will also follow the events of the other matches of the round.