Comment|There is nothing new about Korkeakunnas HJK defying the odds to win even with a bad game, writes sports journalist Ari Virtanen.
Beyond belief yes, but even with a bad game HJK can apparently take valuable victories in the Eurocups. This year, HJK is also playing for a place in the group games of the Eurocups, after it won the Montenegrin champion after a penalty shootout.
The next place is always deserved, but HJK had a lot of luck on the way in the third qualifying round of the Conference League in Montenegro. It was unable to settle the match in time and lost the advantage it had gained with a 1-0 home win last week.
When Luke Plange tied the match 1–1 on Thursday, HJK was within reach of the next place and the game in their possession. Still, HJK lost their grip, and the home team’s final rush resulted in the lead goal. The match eventually went to a penalty shootout.
Did HJK passivate? Did the head coach Toni Korkeakunnas wrong defensive substitutions at the end when he switched midfielders off the pitch Georgios Kanellopoulosin and Santeri Hostikan? Probably did.
Korkeakunnas also made good substitutions when he replaced a midfielder on the field earlier Kevor Palumetsinwinger Liam Mollerin and the debuting Greek topper Georgios Antzoulasin.
Penalty shootout is always a bit of a lottery, but HJK’s new Dutch goalkeeper Thijmen Nijhuis managed to click the winning lottery tickets. Nijhuis first saved home team FK Dečić’s fifth shot with his back against the wall. Then Nijhuis got the advantage for Klub in six shots, and the Estonian Palumets sealed the victory for HJK.
In a way, it is strange in this situation that in June these two solution players mentioned above were not even heard of in Helsinki.
The club’s transfer circus has patched up the mistakes of last fall and winter, when an attempt was made to build a competitive team from an underperforming team in the middle of the season.
Heads have clashed on the training ground, and according to sources close to the team, the atmosphere in the team has tightened as the number of studs increases.
The more new players have joined the Club, the more difficult it has become to create a smooth joint game. That’s how it has looked, and there have been too many unnecessary mistakes on the field.
On the third in the qualifying round, Korkeakunnas returned to the basics. He put the players in the easiest possible grouping and moved his two best forwards to the top line. With that template, you didn’t get a good offensive game, but in a good way, you got a place in the next round.
There is nothing new about Korkeakunnas HJK defying the odds to win with a weak game. Similar games were seen last season, when Korkeakunnas became the head coach even then in the middle of the season. The end result was perfect: the championship and a group place in the Conference League.
Of course, the situation is not optimal for him. But once again, gameplay problems can be blamed on all the changes.
The most important thing for HJK is that the championship and a place in the group stage are still the goal. The quest for a place in the group continues next Thursday in the Faroe Islands against Klaksvik.
Correction August 16, 2024 at 8:12 a.m.: The story incorrectly stated that HJK would play its next European game in Bosnia and Herzegovina against Borac Banja Luka. In reality, Klaksvik is located in the Faroe Islands.