Experienced Finnish-Nigerian striker Roosa Ariyo returns to the home field after a two-year break. For the people of Kuopio, the confirmation is significant considering the National League championship.
Aino Paloniemi,
Joel Sippola
On Saturday, significant contract news came out of the national league, when Pink Ariyo returns to the home fields after two seasons spent abroad. The Finnish-Nigerian striker has signed a contract with KuPS until the end of the 2024 season.
– I am really excited about coming to KuPS. There is a good team here and a familiar coach Pauliina Miettinenso the feelings are very good, Ariyo said in the interview.
The last time Ariyo was seen in the National League was when he played under Miettinen in the Tikkurila Palloseura in the seasons 2019–2021. In total, he has scored 25 goals in the National League.
– In Finland, I get to be closer to my family. It is a top club with tough goals and opportunities for anything. There is also a professional setting and a good training environment all around.
Ariyo, 29, moves to Kuopio from Brugge, Belgium. In the 2022 season, he played in Spain in the UDG Tenerife team.
Ariyo’s transfer to KuPS brings its own spice to the championship. There are four matches left in the regular season of the national league and the Kuopio team is at the top of the league, three points ahead of Åland United and six points ahead of HJK.
– I think the level of the National League is rising in general and especially in the top teams. Training conditions have improved every year and playing has become more professional, Ariyo estimates.
Kuopio also brings new challenges to Ariyo with the Champions League matches. At the beginning of September, KuPS will meet the Danish team Köge in the first qualifying round.
The experienced Ariyo has also played in Sweden and the American university leagues in his career. Ariyo scored nine goals in six matches in Brugge Superliga, which plays in the Belgian premier league.
– It was a good club and a good team. There were a lot of hard games, so I had a good time there and got to try different things with a slightly different style of play, Ariyo described.
The national league standings from this link.