Comment | HJK organized an incredible end – the cult player turned the game around at the last moment

Nine seconds and extra time can sometimes be the difference between disaster and catharsis. In that time, the perspective of this column changed.

HJK had chased Klaksvik’s 1–0 lead with a half-hour advantage, but the match seemed to end in an inevitable defeat in the Conference League qualifying round match.

Then, in the last minute of regular time, a cult player struck Diogo Tomaswho crushed the captain by Lucas Lingman from passing the ball into the goal and leveled the match.

And the incredible script of the match had a great ending when Lee Erwin scored a 2–1 winning goal in overtime.

For 89 minutes, HJK had never really looked like it was going to win the decisive match. Tomas and Erwin saved the face of the whole team and the coaching group.

One goal complete and another one still within reach. On Thursday, HJK advanced for the fourth time in a row from the Eurocup qualifiers to the actual competition. It is yet another new milestone in club history and in Finnish football.

For the third time in four years, HJK will play in the Conference League in the fall, whose renewed first competition phase is now called the league phase instead of the former group phase.

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In the last four seasons, when the Club has progressed to the Eurocup competitions, that strength has been especially in home games.

CEO of HJK Aki Riihilahti has been influencing the fact that the new competition was established four years ago. The Conference League has become a mint for the Club, making millions year after year.

The competition is as if tailor-made for the Club that devours Veikkausliiga championships. It can get there along the leveled road from the path of the Champions of the qualifiers.

HJK has now achieved its main goals for the second season. The main goal still to be achieved is the Veikkausliiga championship.

Achieving the second goal alone is a worthy achievement in a year whose first half was a catastrophic failure from HJK. The fulfillment of the second goal would be a surprising jackpot considering the starting points.

To the first one half a year included the change of head coach in January, an unsuccessful training season, the firing of two key personnel in May and the appointment of a new head coach Toni Korkeakunnsen the rebuilding of the team started by the management. Now you can say that the renovation was successful.

In the last four seasons, when the Club has progressed to the Eurocup competitions, that strength has been especially in home games. It hasn’t lost a single match in the qualifying matches that are decisive for getting to the Eurocup competition.

This time as well, HJK managed to twist the victory completely against the flow of the game on their home field. Such strange turns were also seen last season under head coach Toni Korkeakunnas.

Even if he could get the team to play in such a way that the victories would come with a good game in a controlled manner, and not by sheer luck against goal expectations and probabilities.

Diogo Tomas scored HJK’s equalizer in the last moments. Picture: Juhani Niiranen / HS