When the Europa League started, it was clear that HJK would have to learn a hard lesson in these rough places – just like eight years ago. The beginning of the second match went perhaps a little too well and in a dangerous way, raising self-confidence, and nothing good came of it, writes HS sports reporter Ari Virtanen.
HJK’s the first away match in history against AS Roma will be remembered as a kind of missed opportunity to measure the Finnish champion’s level against the top Italian team. HJK’s game plan and chances were destroyed far too early.
It was supposed to be a showcase for HJK’s coaching and players, but the second group stage match of the Europa League turned out to be just a battle for survival. Without the run-out, HJK’s players could have used their chance in the limelight against the top team.
All that was left was the possibility of arguing about what the game could have been like if HJK had played with eleven players until the end.
There was talk of minor mistakes before the match, but HJK’s coaching staff could hardly, even in their worst nightmares, fear a foul worthy of a red card in the first half of the match.
Captain Miro Tenho received a red card after fouling AS Roma’s top player Andrea Belottibut at least as much can be blamed on the midfielder Lucas Lingman, who gave an illegal weak pass to Tenho. It was the kind of friendly pass that will be etched in Lingman’s memory.
Lingman told HS after the match that he apologized to Tenho for his mistake.
Mistakes happen. Lingman is unlikely to make a similar mistake for a while.
The match the final result was known after that. When the head coach of AS Roma Jose Mourinho threw more name men onto the field after the break, the goalless draw quickly turned into Roma’s lead and finally a 3–0 victory.
HJK was able to stop the inevitable during the opening period. Santeri Väänänen and Perparim Hetemaj did a great job in the midfield when the club was playing short. Got the captain’s armband Jukka Raitala kept the team up with his calmness, and with the goal Conor Hazard showed how good a defender he is.
Väänänen’s name may have appeared in the notes of foreign club scouts. That’s how well he fought against the opposition’s namesakes at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico.
“It was a dream to be able to play in a game like this against players of that level. I can’t complain,” Väänänen said after the match.
When the Europa League started, it was clear that HJK would have to learn a hard lesson in these rough places – just like eight years ago. The first match against Betis was promising. The start of the second match went perhaps deceptively well and in a dangerous way, boosting self-confidence, and nothing good came of it.
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