Veikkausliiga Recap: KuPS Break Their Drought with a Thrashing of HJK, while Turku Remains at the Pinnacle

In a surprising twist over the past few weeks, the Veikkausliiga champions KuPS have been plummeting in form, while Finnish league record-holders HJK have been in formidable shape. Thus, it came as a shock when the two sides clashed in Kuopio on Friday, and the home team emerged with a resounding 3-0 victory, thanks to a remarkable hat-trick from Joslyn Luyeye-Lutumba.

KuPS entered this fixture with a mere point gleaned from their last five league outings, the one positive being their previous meeting with HJK, where they also managed a draw a month ago. In stark contrast, the Helsinki outfit was riding high, remaining unbeaten in their last nine league matches and twelve across all competitions.

Yet, HJK were left shell-shocked as they conceded within the first three minutes. A cleverly executed short corner from Clinton Antwi found Luyeye-Lutumba, who expertly directed his header into the net.

Just five minutes later, the forward struck again against his former club, capitalising on a delicate through ball from Otto Ruoppi. He showcased his strength as he brushed aside defenders before dispatching a stunning shot into the top corner.

HJK showed glimpses of their attacking prowess, with Teemu Pukki getting off four shots on target throughout the encounter, but they were unable to find the back of the net before Luyeye-Lutumba sealed the game.

With 19 minutes remaining, Antwi was once more the architect, providing the assist that would see Luyeye-Lutumba complete his hat-trick, elevating his season tally from one to four in just 71 minutes of play.

This victory propelled KuPS back ahead of HJK in the standings after a brief slip in the goal difference. However, HJK still holds a game in hand.

Despite their success, KuPS did not reclaim the top spot, as Inter Turku managed a 2-2 draw away at Gnistan, ensuring they stayed atop the table on goal difference.

Inter’s unbeaten record in the league was under pressure early in the match when Tim Vayrynen and Juhani Ojala raced the capital club into a 2-0 lead within just 26 minutes.

Ojala’s goal was particularly impressive; after winning the ball in midfield, he launched a lob from over 40 yards, catching the goalkeeper off-guard.

Although the visitors reduced the deficit right before half-time through Dimitri Legbo, they had to wait until the seventh minute of added time in the second half to level the score.

What ensued was utter chaos in the Gnistan penalty area during a corner, with bodies everywhere, before Loic Essomba eventually bundled the ball home.

This draw extended Turku’s unbeaten run in the league to 12 matches, although they remain tied with the highest number of drawn matches this season, at five. Gnistan, meanwhile, currently resides in seventh place, with a record of four wins, four draws, and four losses.