HJK won the men’s Finnish football championship for the fourth time in a row. HJK lost to KuPS in the final round with 1–2 goals, but it was enough for the championship.
KuPS should have beaten HJK by three goals in the final round in Helsinki in order to overtake HJK as champions. Now the teams ended up with equal points, but HJK’s goal difference was better.
– HJK’s routine was enough to win this season. Not flashy, not flashy, not overwhelming. However, HJK was the best team, Urheilu’s expert Antti Pohja compactly fresh.
– Resources, culture and genuine know-how. HJK has been the best team in the league for a long time. It was also visible today, from the experts Sebastian Sorsa in turn listed the reasons for the championship.
The championship was suspended for HJK already in the previous round two weeks ago, but then HJK suffered their first defeat in the Veikkausliiga Toni Korkeakunnsen under to VPS. The championship streak stretched to the final round.
The last time HJK beat KuPS was in 2020, but the people from Kuopio were still in a tight spot. The last time KuPS beat HJK by three goals was in July 1982, and there is still more time for a three-goal victory away from home. HJK last lost at home to KuPS by three goals in September 1958.
However, KuPS immediately brought a spark to the championship fight, when the Brazilian reinforcement Elite junior shot the Kuopio team into the lead already in the eighth minute.
However, HJK was not shaken. Try Soiri brought the people from Helsinki level with a stylish strike in the 63rd minute. KuPS still didn’t give up, but instead came on the field Seth Saarinen took the Kuopio team back into the lead just four minutes later.
KuPS was no longer able to score additional hits, even though they frantically searched for them by raising the goalkeeper Johannes Kreidlin up in special situations. The championship celebrations of the people of Helsinki were able to begin. It had been preceded by a small market meeting at the end of extra time.
When the final whistle blew, HJK fans also rushed from the stands to the field to celebrate the championship.
Korkeakunnas reversed course
Toni Korkeakunnas became HJK’s head coach in mid-July, when Toni Koskela got fired. Under the leadership of Korkeakunnas, HJK scored many more goals and also collected more points on average.
Experienced coach Korkeakunnas now won his first Finnish championship as head coach.
– It feels great. I have supported HJK since I was a little boy. Lived 300 meters from the stadium for the last 20 years. When you get to experience such a feeling in this company, absolutely wonderful. Our gang is insane. This project started in fourth place and seven points behind, Korkeakunnas expressed in an interview with Urheilu.
Korkeakunnas was really grateful for the trust of the players and club management. He was happy that the team has been working together all along.
– Now the guys dared to say that they wouldn’t necessarily have dared to believe this. The back distance was so far and there were eleven games left, Korkeakunnas said.
– Now we are here. Absolutely insane.
Korkeakunnas spoke at the beginning of his game about how he wanted to be the one who ignited the players as a coach. The players were in shock from the end of the season.
– We have scored almost three goals per game in the Veikkausliiga. We have done what we had to do, Korkeakunnas described as relieved and considered the final match to be special in every way from the setup.
For this season, HJK set the goals of the Finnish championship and the group stage in the European club team competition.
– Now both goals have been taken care of. Let’s enjoy this tonight and let’s make another miracle in Frankfurt, Korkeakunnas said and indicated that the season still continues in the Conference League.
Difficult to lift the trophy
Miro Tenho lifting the championship trophy was already familiar from previous years, but still hard work.
– The trophy weighed heavily. The focus is on how it hurts. It’s wonderful to lift that trophy, but also difficult, Tenho laughed and teased his teammate Matti Peltolan action in lifting the trophy.
– He went backwards. Maybe he needs to hit the gym again.
KuPS captain Anton Popovich stated that he was proud of his team’s performance.
– Right from the start, we believed that we could win the championship. We showed that we can do this. It was two goals behind, Popoviš described.
KuPS also changed their coach at the beginning of the season. Pasi Tuutti was allowed to make room For Jani Honkavaara.
– When you think about last December until today, a lot of things have happened around the team. This (silver medal) was a really good performance, Popoviš said.
Upper final series:
FC Honka–FC Inter 3–0
HJK–KuPS 1–2
SJK–VPS 0–2
Lower end series:
AC Oulu–Haka 1–1
FC Lahti–Ilves 1–5
KTP–IFK Mariehamn 0–2
Standings: Goal exchange: