How do the Veikkausliiga’s top teams manage in the middle of the travel rush? KuPS froze against Honka, HJK can come out on top in their trip to Oulun

It cannot be ignored how much the league’s top two KuPS and HJK have had to contract during the last few weeks due to the backlog of European games. We live in interesting times in terms of the Veikkausliiga championship fight.

When KuPS played the Conference League qualifier in Moldova on July 28 as Milsam’s guest, traveling was quite a chore. The match was played on Thursday, but KuPS already started the trip on Monday morning by bus to Helsinki, he said Savon Sanomat (you switch to another service). From Helsinki, the team flew in different groups, each group via a different city to Bucharest, from where the journey to Orhei took 11 hours by bus.

Despite that, KuPS won 4–1 in Moldova and advanced to the third round of the Conference League qualification. But after the trip to Moldova, a week ago on Sunday, KuPS lost to Haka 1–2 in the Veikkausliiga.

Among other things, the stresses of the game rush and travel, as well as the limited training opportunities in the midst of all the rush, offer especially good opportunities for the underdogs, which the good-natured team from Valkeakoski was able to take advantage of.

On Thursday of this week, KuPS’ European games continued with a home match against the Swiss top team Young Boys. That is, at a home match in Turku, because Kuopio’s stadium does not meet the requirements of the European Football Association.

Young Boys won 2–0, the second leg will be played next Thursday.

Today, KuPS faced a top-class challenge in the domestic league, when Honka arrived in Kuopio as a guest on Sunday. The people of Espoo were on a three-game winning streak, and in five games in July scored four goals and assisted four Rui Modesto was chosen as the best player of July.

Before Sunday, Honka was three points behind the top two in the series. Honka, which was considered disappointing last season, has been the most positive team this early season, and it does not have to worry about the European games this season.

On top of everything, earlier this season Honka had ended KuPS’s historic long winning streak in Espoo by taking the points 2–0. Coach of KuPS Simo Valakari didn’t fall into explanations before the Honka match.

– The fact that we play a lot is more of an asset for us, rather than a burden. We have extensive player material and a lot of hungry boys who want to play, Valakari informed KuPS in advance of the match (you switch to another service).

KuPS played a strong first half against Honka. KuPS took the scoring attempts 6–1. Axel Vidjeskog scored Kuopio’s 1–0 lead goal Tim Väyrynen from a dribble in the 19th minute of the game.

Whether it was fatigue, but in any case, in the second half, the game turned in the light of the statistics, when Honka took the scoring attempts 10–4.

The second half had been played for a good ten minutes, when the KuPS toppers passed carelessly, Rui Modesto got through and ran away. Take Virtanen turned down Modesto’s bid, but the youth national team forward Agon Sadiku completed the 1–1 equalizer from a loose ball.

1–1 was also the final result in Kuopio. In the second match of the evening, HJK has a chance to take the top spot in the league – although HJK has played one match more than KuPS and Honka. Honka continues in third place in the series.

– Of course it’s sad. Three points were up for grabs. It wasn’t the best, the grip was a bit loose after the opponent’s goal, regretted after the match in Ruuttu’s interview KuPS top player Diogo Tomas.

Tomas stated that KuPS did not deserve a victory with the second half performance, but denied that any kind of fatigue was noticeable.

You can watch the goals of the match on Sunday at 18:00 on the Sports screen. The story continues below the video.

HJK has also been in a hurry, which has nevertheless managed to win three of its Veikkausliiga games between the European games. In addition, on Thursday, HJK claimed one of the biggest victories of Finnish teams in recent years in the Europa League qualifiers, when they defeated Maribor in Slovenia 2–0. The second leg will be played next Thursday in Helsinki.

HJK’s injury list has been quite a read throughout the summer. At least they were sidelined from the trip to Slovenia Manuel Martic, Joona Toivio, Paulus Arajuuri and long-term injured Roope Risk and Valtteri Moren. Due to illness, the trip was missed Perparim from Hetemaj, From Arttu Hosko and From Aapo Halme. Especially HJK’s topper department has been tested despite the acquisition of Arajuuri and Halmee.

Instead, HJK got stronger with a familiar midfielder With Lucas Lingmanwho returned to the club on a loan deal from Helsingborg for the rest of the season.

If Honka has rocked wildly since last season, Oulu has done the same. For example, someone who also played in Huuhkaji Rasmus Karjalainen strengthened Oulu beat HJK 1–0 in Helsinki in June by Michael Lopez with a penalty goal.

At that time, HJK was plagued by inefficiency, and after the Oulu match, it lost to IFK Mariehamn and to tough Inter in the Finnish Cup.

Note The league table below has been updated before the AC Oulu–HJK match starting at 19:00 on Sunday.

In the Veikkausliiga, a double regular season is played, after which the best six go to the upper continuation series, the six weakest to the lower. In the playoffs, each team meets each other once.