The decisive league qualifying match between FC Lahti and TPS turned into a thriller, which was decided by Teemu Penninkangas in extra time of the match. It is a big disappointment for TPS to have their dreams of rising come to naught.
20:32•Updated 20:39
FC Lahti was not surprised by TPS’s equalizing goal in the decisive qualifying match of the Veikkausliiga, but scored a 2–1 winning goal in extra time. Slipping away from the main league place in the last minutes was an extremely disappointing experience for the players from Turku.
A frustrated midfielder Kasper Hämäläinen had to find his voice when giving an interview after the match.
– We had quite a bit of pressure today. We could have won and we still tied at the end, but somehow we let the match go… It’s tight, and it’s hard for the state of mind at the moment, Hämäläinen stated and gave a standing ovation to the TPS supporters, who rhythmically shouted the player’s name in the stands.
According to the experienced player, TPS was too cautious at the beginning of the match. The players watched what the home team was doing and were left behind at the beginning. When TPS woke up, they found they could keep the ball.
– Yes, that was right again. This is quite a hustle sometimes. We fought well and got a goal in the end. Then, in the final moments, it got a little crazy. So much of everything happened at the end. Now we are here to explain.
The 36-year-old Hämäläinen arrived in Turku from the third league level in the Czech Republic, having previously played in the Swedish and Polish leagues. The question of the continuation of his career made the player who played in the national team for more than ten years become sensitive again.
– Yes, it will continue. Nothing more than that. So much energy was put into this season, we tried everything and… Well, let’s go next season.
Teemu from Penninkanga became FC Lahti’s hero when he finished the match with the winning goal in extra time. The central defender has not usually scored goals, but now he hit an important spot.
– Would it have come from the rip, Penninkangas recalled after the match.
– From somewhere it came straight to the leg. (TPS guard Jere) Koponen had probably already plunged to the other side of the goal, I was able to empty the spindles. Sometimes it’s the right place at the right time. All that was needed was to move the ball into the goal.
Penninkangas admitted that the league qualification was quite tight and maintaining a place in the series depended on the smallest detail. After TPS tied, the home team was paralyzed for a moment – but only for a moment.
– The same thing happened to us as in Turku, and we dropped a little too much in the second half and started securing and defending too much victory. Then TPS was able to equalize. Fortunately, it turned out this way.
The mood of the people of Lahti was high for a reason, because the season has been quite difficult for the team.
– It has felt like a long time. There have been problems, the game has not run. There have been no reasons for celebration and joy. Now it’s nice to end this season in this way.
Both FC Lahti and TPS changed head coaches during the season. Mikko Mannila replaced the fired one Ilir Zenelin in June. Mannila’s contract also covers the 2023 season and includes an option for the 2024 season.
TPS fired for Jonatan Johansson at the end of September. For the rest of the season, the head coach took over the duties of the TPS graduate who played 344 matches in the team Marko Rajamäkiwho had piloted the people of Turku in the Veikkausliiga from 2010 to 2013.
League jumbo HIFK was relegated from the Veikkausliiga, replaced by KTP Kotka, who won Ykkönen.
FC Lahti–TPS 2–1 (1–0)
10. Altin Zeqiri rp. 1–0
89. Juri Kinnunen 1–1
90+1. Teemu Penninkangas 2–1
Lahti kept their league place with 3–2 on aggregate
Kasper Hämäläi and Teemu Penninkanga were interviewed by Jari Haapala.
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