Two betting league teams continue in the Conference League qualifiers.
Jake Jervis hit three goals in Flora’s net. Stock photo. MARKO TUOMINIEMI / AOP
SJK advanced to the second round of the Conference League when it defeated Estonian Flora on its home field at the end of extra time 4–2 and 4–3 on aggregate.
The start of the match was sad for SJK, because Flora’s defender Michael Lelander took the Estonian team into the lead in the ninth minute of the game.
Henrik Ojamaa increased Flora’s lead to two goals in the first half of the second period, and at this point Flora led the pair of matches with joint goals 3–0.
Then SJK’s letter started. Jake Jervis first managed to reduce the penalty kick to 1–2 in the 59th minute of the game and seven minutes later to score a 2–2 equalizing goal.
Flora’s Ken Kallaste eased SJK’s pressure when he received a second yellow card in the 82nd minute of the game and a red card after that.
SJK crowned their victory when Jervis scored his third goal of the match in the 85th minute of the game.
The solution did not emerge during actual game time, but Ville Tikkanen managed to score a 4–2 winning goal in the 113th minute of the game. At this point, Flora was already playing with less than two men, because To Sergei Zenyov had been shown a red card a few minutes earlier.
SJK will face Norwegian Lilleström in the next round.
KuPS will also continue
Kuopio Palloseura also advanced to the second round in the Conference League.
KuPS played a 0–0 draw against Dila Gori in Georgia. KuPS had won the first meeting between the teams on their home field with a score of 2–0, and thanks to this they advanced to the next round.
KuPS will face Moldavian Milsam in the second qualifying round.