League Play-Off

Pekuri
Spectators: 35 (Terracing: 27, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) The field was rather wet after several days of rain when Verneri Siponen took the kick off in the first half of the match. 9 minutes into the game, Tapani Häppölä was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. Pekuri FC's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave Liharuusu the free kick. Tapani Häppölä hit a great freekick 9 minutes into the match. After some careless play in the Pekuri FC defense, Into Hakala kicked a shot that curved into the net to the right of Saul Niemi. The Pekuri FC fans voiced their displeasure as they felt that Saul Niemi should have stopped the shot. If Daniel Pihkala had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 15th minute. The ball went over the crossbar and out instead. In the 20th play minute Daniel Pihkala came free and shot an unsuspected shot which went into goal from the right pole behind a surprised Ilari Holtti. 1-1. Saul Niemi took care of the ball after a well-directed shot from Into Hakala, even though the ball almost passed him on his left side. An unexpectedly hard shot by Tuomas Koskela in the 35th minute of play forced Pekuri FC's goalkeeper Saul Niemi to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. Saul Niemi made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Teemu Tammisto in the 41st minute of play. When the match had gone on for 42 minutes, Verneri Siponen put it in 2-2 from a short distance just to the right of Ilari Holtti. After the first half the score was level. The break gave the players a chance to catch their breath, whilst the managers went over the tactics with them again.

Pekuri FC made a substitution. Orvo Nurminen replaced Benjamin Masalin. The wind increased when Into Hakala made the kick off in the second half. 55 minutes into the game, Liharuusu's Teemu Tammisto nearly tore a hole in the net with a booming shot. Saul Niemi made a valiant effort, but he could not reach the ball in time, 2-3. Verneri Siponen blasted a shot towards the goal in the 61st minute, but the shot hit the top of the crossbar and went out without Ilari Holtti having to make a save. An unexpectedly hard shot by Verneri Siponen in the 61st minute of play forced Liharuusu's goalkeeper Ilari Holtti to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. 62 minutes into the match, Pekuri FC's goal looked a bit too open when Into Hakala came free, but Saul Niemi reached the ball before it rolled over the goal line. Daniel Pihkala received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 63rd minute. Ilari Holtti tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. After 65 played minutes Liharuusu got a freekick which was hit by Otto Valkealahti. Verneri Siponen might have been able to make a better finish in the 66th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Ilari Holtti. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Verneri Siponen ran back to his position shaking his head. After a defensive mix-up in Pekuri FC's zone, Into Hakala stole the ball and had only the goalie to beat. Saul Niemi came out of the goal and Into Hakala tried to chip the ball over his head. To his dismay, the ball went over the crossbar and out of play. Saul Niemi made a fantastic save in the 72nd minute, when Topias Manneroos sent off a good shot on target. Ahti Meriläinen made in the 73rd minute of the game a quick throw-in and Tuomas Koskela immediately put the ball in play. Saul Niemi made a fantastic save in the 74th minute, when Tuomas Koskela sent off a good shot on target. After 76 played minutes Pekuri FC got a freekick which was hit by Tapani Häppölä. Ilari Holtti made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Daniel Pihkala in the 88th minute of play. When Tuomas Koskela fell near the penalty area in the 89th minute he thought he would be awarded a free kick. The referee ignored Liharuusu's protests and gave Tuomas Koskela a yellow card for diving instead. In the 90th minute, Teemu Tammisto hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. Ilari Holtti made a wonderful reflex save on a shot from Verneri Siponen in the 96th minute of play. Ilari Holtti came out of the goal in the 98th minute to try and stop a shot by Pekuri FC's Verneri Siponen. But to his dismay, Verneri Siponen quickly shot the ball in between his legs and into the goal making it 3-4.