Football | The fairy tale of Gnistan got a new incredible chapter – greetings from the hat trick hero to the doubters: “We show them the middle finger”

Tampere

Ilves–Gnistan 4–6

Centenary the first league season in the history started for IF Gnistan last week in a magical way.

Who would have thought that the first away game would turn into an even more incredible story.

For a quarter of an hour, the beautiful fairy tale did turn into a rather brutal tale by the Brothers Grimm. In the handsome new Tammela stadium, the home team Ilves had to spend the last third of the first period.

In the second episode, everything happened again many times. Joakim Latonen loaded a hat trick, and Benjamin Tatar solved a 6–4 victory for Gnistan with a wonderful back hammer.

“Like a school floorball match in the top class,” described Latone with a big grin on his face.

“In floorball, you go end-to-end and almost every attack results in a goal. That second half felt like that.”

Yet who coached Gnistan last year Joonas Rantanen was now at the helm of Ilves. The tradition of Rantanen's place Jussi Leppälahten with the lead, Gnistan grouped in a 4–2–3–1 formation.

At half an hour it started to happen. Roope Risk hit Ilves first from a corner kick, Jonas Enkerud wasted Gnistan's place of glory, and Oiva Jukkola sunk the second goal of the hosts with a handsome long shot.

The visitors' break was interrupted by substitutions, when, for example, Latonen moved to the tenth place and Elias Äijälä came from the exchange to the left pack.

“Jussi created a spirit in the booth that we can turn it into this, but I didn't think it would turn out like this,” Latonen was amazed.

“At Kymppipaikati, you can participate in matches in a more versatile way. It was a good bet from Jussi.”

At the hour mark, Latonen reduced the score to 1–2, but Ilves responded quickly. Then Gnistan hit three times in just over ten minutes and took the lead.

Just two minutes later, in the 81st minute, Ilves equalized again, after which finally it was the turn of Gnistan's substitute Benjamin Tatarin two goal show.

Before this season, Latonen had scored only three goals in 49 league matches. Now the season has started in the league promotion with a four-goal haul in two games.

Saturday's hits came in a variety of ways: after possession with the foot, from a corner kick and from the penalty spot.

Before the start of the season, Gnistan's problem was suspected to be a lack of attacking power. On Saturday, Tammela's artificial turf was wiped with those estimates.

“Yes, there are enough goal scorers. Even if we can get it To Jonas Enkerud a couple of goals, he is an absolutely important player for us, even if he hasn't scored a goal yet.”

Also a couple of notable refereeing decisions played a part in Gnistan's spectacular rise.

When replays were being played on the TV broadcast after Gnistan's second goal, Jukkola, who had been creating difficulties throughout the game, was pressing towards the goal along the right side.

Substitute Äijälä, who had already received a warning, brought down the Ilves striker right on the edge of the penalty area, but somehow managed to avoid a second yellow card and sending off.

There was also enough talk about the penalty kick, from which Latonen completed his hat trick. Ilves goalkeeper Take Virtanen hit Gnistan To Momodou Sarriand the referee Petri Viljanen took the ball to the spot.

“Of course there was contact, but I got to the ball first. Viljasen got it right this time,” Virtanen described in Ruudu's interview.

In the arena of the stadium, Gnistan's side was jubilant, the members of the Ilves camp were dismayed.

“It's embarrassing as hell. I don't know how this was even possible. It felt like every time a guy was on our side, they were vaccinating. Absolutely incomprehensible,” Virtanen updated.

“I believe that it will be time to say it directly when I go to the booth.”

Chilly the air has still held the charm of novelty in Tampere. 4,096 spectators arrived at Tammela's new stadium for the match that started at 2 p.m.

“Very nice, Ogeli is nicer,” said Latonen.

Next, Gnistan will face Vaasa Palloseura on Saturday next week. The hunger will surely grow when eating, when two teams rated at the top end have fallen in the first two games.

“The task of the experts is to punish, and we show them… the middle finger.”

The hat trick hero himself was staying in Tampere with his friend and former teammate Juhani Pikkarainen with. Pikkarainen played brilliantly in the center of Ilves' defense for an hour, but after his substitution, the home team's Alakerta crumbled completely.

“Oh, I was a little foxy the rest of the evening,” Latonen joked.