HJK enjoy Finnish Cup double
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Article summary
HJK Helsinki enjoyed a Finnish Cup double as both their men's and women's sides secured final wins to make up for missing out on their league titles while KuPS Kuopio staved off relegation in their play-off with FC Viikingit.
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Oravainen heroics
The men's side finished fourth in the Veikkausliiga but will enter qualifying for the inaugural UEFA Europa League next season following a 2-1 extra-time success against FC Honka Espoo to lift their tenth Finnish Cup, two behind FC Haka's record. Although Erfan Zeneli's second-half goal for HJK was cancelled out by a late Jami Puustinen strike, substitute Petri Oravainen won the game six minutes from the end of extra time on a swift counterattack begun when Tuomas Aho headed Jani Backman's free-kick off the line.
'Wounds healed'
"For me all the wounds are now healed," said HJK coach Antti Muurinen. "It is a pity not everyone in Finland values the cup as highly as it should be valued. One needs only to have gone into our dressing room after the game and had a look at what winning the cup means to the players and coaches."
KuPS relief
The women's side, meanwhile, made up on missing out on the title and a 2009/10 UEFA Women's Cup place to Honka by beating FC Kuusysi 3-1 in their cup final. Also on the concluding weekend of the Finnish season, KuPS Kuopio staved off relegation from the Veikkausliiga as a 0-0 draw with FC Viikingit gave them a 2-1 aggregate win in the promotion/relegation play-off. FC KooTeePee were demoted after finishing bottom.