Ilves 1-0 AC Oulu
After successive losses, Oulu regained top spot with a win over KuPS last weekend, but their return to form lasted until just the 11th minute this evening, when Miguel Santos parried a shot to Oliver Pettersson, who nodded across goal for Teemu Hytonen to tap into the empty net.
In response, the visitors produced just one shot on goal throughout the 90 minutes – a second-half Rasmus Karjalainen strike which did little to trouble Faris Krkalic – as Ilves held on comfortably for their first three-point haul of the season.
However, other results going their way this evening allowed Oulu to cling onto first place on goal difference, while Ilves sit ninth.
TPS 1-0 HJK
TPS’ brilliant return to the top flight continues, as they beat HJK at home to stay unbeaten after six games and move into second, while the record champions sit a point further back in fourth.
Despite 72% possession and 10 shots to the home side’s three, HJK produced just two efforts on target in the first half, the same number as TPS, as the sides went in goalless at the break.
And the Helsinki side were punished for their wastefulness six minutes into the second half, when a long Eetu Turkki pass set Theodoros Tsirigotis away. Beginning his run on the halfway line, he cut inside the backtracking defenders before burying his third of the season.
HJK continued to throw everything at their hosts after falling behind, but despite 23 shots in total, were unable to find a way past the Turku side’s goalkeeper, Elmo Henriksson.
KuPS 0-0 SJK
Like HJK, KuPS also missed the chance to go top of the pile as they were held to a goalless draw by SJK. It’s a third stalemate in a row for the Seinajoki side, while the champions have gone winless in three and have won just once in their last five.
Also like HJK, KuPS had much more of the ball and generated more shots but failed to find a way past visiting goalkeeper Roope Paunio, who got himself sent off with two minutes to play for a rash challenge on Gustaf Engvall.
But the 10 men held on in the dying stages to move up to seventh, while KuPS are third, behind the top two on goal difference.
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