Football|Gnistan and Ilves fought for points in Oulunkylä on Saturday.
The spark didn’t manage to beat Ilves in the Veikkausliiga fierce championship battle when the teams met in Helsinki’s Oulunkylä on Saturday.
Ilves was one step ahead for most of the match and finally took the vital victory with a score of 3–1.
However, the points did not go to Tampere easily, and Ilves made the match difficult for himself as well.
Roope Risk for example, missed a self-taken penalty after 20 minutes of play. Five minutes later, the ball was taken to the spot again, and this time Jardell Kanga stepped behind the ball. A confident left-footed shot sent the ball into the net and Ilves into a 1–0 lead.
Gnistan equalized at the beginning of the second half when Oliver Petterson was missed free in the penalty area. Matias Knight found Petterson with a long pass, and Petterson shot the ball straight out of the air into the net.
Ilves took the lead again in the 52nd minute. Oiva Jukkola rattled a fierce shot from the edge of the penalty area to the top bar. Riski was the first on the scene and headed the ball into the empty goal.
Gnistan got a few tasty goal chances, especially during the last quarter, but did not manage to reward the persistently cheering home crowd. In the first moments of the additional time given by the referee, the pursuit became difficult when Rachide Gnanou were driven out.
Lynx Marius Söderbäck sealed Final readings in the last few seconds.
With the win, Ilves moved up to level points with second-placed FC Inter. Kuopio Palloseura continues to lead by a point. Ilves has played more than two matches. Gnistan continues sixth in the Veikkausliiga championship series, i.e. last with a clear point difference from the others.