One match was played in the Veikkausliiga on Sunday, when EIF defeated Gnistan in the challenger series.
18:37•Updated 18:38
In the lower continuation series of the Football Veikkausliiga, EIF took the three points they desperately needed on Sunday, when the team beat Gnistan at home with 3–1 goals.
– Glad we won. We gave ourselves another chance this season, EIF Väinö Vehkonen commented in Ruuttu’s interview after the match.
Jumbo place in the league table, EIF is struggling to avoid direct relegation. With Sunday’s points gain, the difference to IFK Mariehamn, who is in the qualifier, is now three points.
– Yes, everyone knows that you have to win. In that sense, of course, there is pressure. But maybe it didn’t look like that today. We were able to play quite calmly, and a good start probably freed up a lot of what we had to do, the defender continued.
The last time EIF celebrated a victory was at the beginning of July. Although the team’s season has been sluggish, they have managed to knock off Gnistan in each of their three encounters.
Quickly to the lead
Even before the middle of the opening set, the readings on the board were 2–0 in favor of the home team.
Initially Solomon Ojala directed the ball from in front of the goal into the net in the seventh minute Frank Owusun of the given input.
13 minutes later Enoch Kofi Adu captured the home team’s lead with his first hit of his league career, which was quite classy.
You can see the painting from the place of the main picture of the story.
Adu himself considered his goal to be one of the finest of his career so far.
– It was fantastic for me too. I couldn’t believe it, but this was what we’ve been training for, the 34-year-old midfielder described with satisfaction in Ruutu’s halftime interview.
Gnistan got his goal from a mistake by the team from Tammisaari in the 32nd minute. Joakim Latonen the ball was won by the EIF goalkeeper Ramilson Almeida Da Silva after a poor opening. Latonen passed Roman Eremenkowhose shot sank into the goal after touching the post.
Although Gnistan got the goal, EIF’s Adu said at the break that he was satisfied with the way the team played in the opening half.
– We control the game. We need one more goal, because it would bring us more control, Adu told Ruuttu in an interview.
Adu’s wish came true in the first minute after halftime. Simon Lindholm ran away with the ball to the goal and strengthened EIF’s lead.
“The opponent played really well”
The loss upset Gnistan Tim Väyrynen felt that the team would have had the opportunity to take more from Tammisaari, but gave credit to the home team’s efforts.
– The opponent played really well. EIF played great football and scored two good goals in that start. Then it always gets more difficult, Väyrynen, who lost for the first time in Gnistan’s shirt, summed it up in an interview with Ruuttu.
Gnistan has already secured his place in the main series for the coming season as well. However, the team still has enough to contribute in the matches of the end of the season, because winning the challenger series or finishing second would bring a place in the final Euro tournament.
Series table