HJK had to change the goalkeeper at the very beginning.
The conference league match against PAOK did not have time to expire for more than 10 minutes when HJK received bad news.
The hero goalkeeper who moved from Venice to Helsinki in the summer Niki Mäenpää sent the ball from his foot towards the midfield.
A seemingly harmless situation ended sadly. Mäenpää fell on his back.
After maintenance procedures, he was carried off the field on a stretcher.
– It must have been pretty bad. There was a bang from the calf, HJK’s head coach Toni Korkeakunnas said after the defeat.
Mäenpää’s fitness was a mystery even before the PAOK match. Even then, the concern was not related to the calf. It was about the back jam.
Mäenpää walked around the stadium with walking sticks.
Niki Mäenpää’s final season may be over. Jussi Eskola
Already in the 13th minute, the Club had to use the first of three substitutions. Jesse Öst turned on the fast heats and replaced Mäenpää.
– It still felt really good to come. About a month had passed since my last game, when I had minor problems, Öst said.
Empty balls
Especially at the beginning of the second half, Öst was the man in his place.
The Pietarsaari school kept HJK’s leadership alive with a couple of top stretches.
However, PAOK rose from the losing position to the side and eventually passed.
– Jesse got into the game really well. I’ve realized that it’s not the easiest to enter the goalie’s field cold, Korkeakunnas said.
According to Jesse Öst, a few game balls were loose. Jussi Eskola
– I just tried to repeat to myself that just take it easy, Öst continued.
Some exceptional delays were seen during the match. Every time Öst got the ball in his hands, he tested it in his jumps precisely.
A couple of times he threw the ball out and asked for a new one.
– A few balls were soft. At least one was terrible.
Injury list
In addition to the European games, HJK is in a heavy match jam, because the decision moments are at hand in the upper final series of the Veikkausliiga.
The club can secure the Finnish championship before the international break in October. Before the break, it plays in the Veikkausliiga three times and travels once to Aberdeen as a guest in the Conference League.
It is possible that Mäenpää will not be able to rehabilitate for the rest of the year. Mäenpää had time to convince HJK’s fans and the coaching staff during the late summer and early fall.
In addition, HJK’s defense line has taken hits. Tops Miro Tenho and Aapo Halme suffer from ailments.
If necessary, it can also be used as a topper Matti Peltola did not recover to playing condition for the PAOK match.
– Now there are quite a lot of absences from the same playing field. I hope we will get help there soon, Korkeakunnas updated.
Jesse Öst made some great saves. Jussi Eskola