Haka will play next week against SJK for the last European place. Käpylän Pallo secured its place in the First League.
19:59•Updated 20:52
Valkeakoski’s Haka made it to the final of the Veikkausliiga Eurofinal tournament against SJK. On Saturday evening, the team dramatically defeated Gnistan on their home field after a penalty shootout 3–3 (4–3).
Even though Gnistan’s season ended, in the camp of the league champion you can certainly be satisfied with the result. The season has been dramatic to say the least, because Gnistan’s home stadium in Oulunkylä burned down in July.
Gnistan gained strength from the tragedy, because after the stadium fire, it played 14 matches, of which it lost only three.
This is how the match went
Haka started strongly in front of his home crowd when Anthony Olusanya put the hosts ahead in the opening period. Olusanya joined Haka on loan from HJK in early August. The mood has been on point, as Olusanya hit for the sixth time in eight matches.
However, Gnistan leveled the match in the second period. The visitors moved the ball into the area with spectacular passes. The situation ended decisively Tim Väyrynen to performance. The attacker followed up his own shot, which after bouncing ended up in Haka’s goal.
The actual playing time came to a dramatic end when there were barely ten minutes left. Haka’s wild spin ended with a VAR check, which is used in the Euro final tournament, in case of a possible hand error. However, the penalty kick was not awarded after a video review.
The lead goal was seen immediately after the inspection. Saku Heiskanen already got to the spot from the next attack and shot the ball from the edge of the area unresistingly into Haka’s goal.
However, the home team did not give up Oliver Whyte tied the game even before the actual playing time was over.
There were no goals in extra time, so a solution was sought in a thriller-like overtime, where both managed to score once more.
Gnistan appeared to be on his way to victory when the comet of the season Joakim Latonen took the visitors to the lead with his eleventh goal.
However, Haka evened it out Nicolas Gianini Dantasin with a wonderful header of the game. Thus, a solution had to be sought from a penalty shootout.
There were no twists in the penalty shootout either. Both managed to score until the fourth round, when Dantas, who shot first, failed. of Gnistan With Armend Kabash thus had the opportunity to move his team into the lead, but Hakan Anton Lepola rejected the attempt.
When Hakan’s fifth shot was successful, it was Gnistan’s With Benjamin Tatar huge pressures in his neck. He shot the ball over the crossbar and Gnistan’s season ended.
KäPa will remain in the First League
On Saturday, it was also decided that Käpylä Pallo will play in the second highest league level of men’s football, i.e. Ykkösliiga, next season as well. The opening part of the further qualifiers against Kokkola’s Pallo-Veikki ended in a draw, but in their home match KäPa was better with 2–0 goals.
Thus, based on the total goals, KäPa was able to celebrate its retained league position.
The result was disappointing for KPV, as the club had a chance for direct promotion in the final round of Ykkönen, but the championship and thus the direct promotion place was won by HJK Klubi 04.
Edited at 20:51: Edited intermediate title to form KäPa will remain in the First League. Previously, the headline incorrectly read that KäPa will be promoted to the First League.