Seven in a row for HJK

HJK Helsinki remain four points clear of Inter Turku at the top of the Finnish top division after they beat Ilves 2-1.

🎥 HJK vs ILVES 2-1 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Katso kooste: https://t.co/Xls2ChJvET#HJK #Helsinki #Veikkausliiga #OnVainYksiKlubi #hjkhelsinki #HJKILV pic.twitter.com/yWIwu3odTD

— HJK Helsinki (@hjkhelsinki) June 19, 2021

The match

It was their seventh successive win in the league. The hosts took the lead after just eight minutes; David Browne bombed down the left wing and sent in a cross which was brought down by Filip Valencic. He cut inside and struck a brilliant dipping strike into the top left-hand corner.

Midfielder Jair had the chance to make it 2-0 to the hosts after a counter but he blazed over with just the goalkeeper to beat.

Then, against the run of play, in the 35th minute, Ilves pulled level after a terrible mistake from defender Dylan Murnane. Eric Oteng burst down the wing and his cross should have been cleared quite easily by Murnane, who was under no pressure. But his miscued clearance was sidefooted towards goal by HJK left-back Murnane.

Into the second half, and the hosts maintained their superiority despite conceding.

Lucas Lingman was denied by a superb sprawling save on the hour-mark, but minutes later, the pressure paid off. A gliding run by Valencic set up Riku Riski, who’s pull-back was turned in by Jair. He did not celebrate the goal out of respect to his former club.

What does it mean?

HJK held on to win their seventh successive game and maintain a four-point lead over Inter Turku. It was Ilves’ third defeat in a row and they stay seventh in the table.

Inter Turku stay in touch

Inter Turku won their seventh league game out of nine after an own goal from Emmanuel Ledesma and a Timo Furuholm in the final half-hour saw them beat SJK 2-0.

Eilisen helteisen ottelun tunnelmia kuvien muodossa 🤩

Lisää kuvia: https://t.co/PMWkCqsZ5y

📷: @TaraJaak #fcinterturku #sjk #veikkausliiga #enemmänyhdessä pic.twitter.com/Vc0LMbAsWQ

— FC Inter Turku (@FCInterTurku) June 19, 2021

Jose Riveiro’s side broke the deadlock in the 63rd minute. A free-kick was floated into the box and Ledesma had a moment’s lapse. The ball came off the back of his head and looped into the net.

With 20 minutes remaining, Joonas Lepistö just had the keeper to beat but goalkeeper Henrik Moisander closed down the angle and he could only stab wide.

In stoppage time, Furuholm sealed the win when he finished coolly after a miscued pass put him one-on-one with Jesse Öst.

SJK lost their third game this season and are in sixth place.