The Finnish Cup first round match against Ikurin Vire turned out to be just as easy as it should have been. The whole match it was clear that TamU-K was the far better team on the field. In fact, the opponent only got one real chance at scoring, and at that point the match was already 3-0, which was also the final score. That chance was denied by a big save from Ilkka Innola. The only real complaint would be that the match was allowed to go to the half at just 1-0, player-coach Mika Suonsyrjä having scored the one goal on the 5th minute. We should have put this one to bed even earlier than we did.

That said, the team came out from the break very well, and scored the 2-0 goal via Lauri Heittola just three minutes into the second half. At that point not many would have doubted the final result, but of course for a supporter who lives and dies with the team, the final relief came only when Mohammed El-Harrak put the final nail in Vire’s coffin with the 3-0 goal on the 64th minute. Moha got the ball from Lauri Heittola with just the goalie to beat, and showed incredible composure when he made a fool of both the goalie and the defender that tried to run to the rescue. A classy goal by a classy player.

The team and the supporters celebrating at the end of the match.

This was the first ever win for TamU-K in a cup competition. Last season we had two attempts, but failed both times. This made the victory feel particularly good for the supporters. I have to admit that the disappointing cup match against FC Tribe from last summer crept into my mind when we went to the half up just 1-0. Thankfully we were able to avoid any disasters this time.

A few players besides the goal scorers need to be mentioned separately. The performance of the supporters’ favorite Ahmed Lakra was, in one word, pornographic. Everybody in the building loved when he humiliated his opponents with crafty little moves, such as putting the ball through the legs of Vire’s playmaker Samuli Salminen. However, the best player on the pitch was probably center back Juha Kumara. No mistakes at all in the whole match, and he also distributed the ball with a good pass each time he had the ball in his feet. If he and our other center back Otto Pitkänen keep playing the way they have played the two matches they have had together, Sami Kriikkula (who played up top) may not have to return to the center back position at all this season.

Off the field too the event was almost perfect. The attendance was counted at 110 people, and about half of those stood with Sinikaarti in our usual corner in the far end. I don’t think we have ever been out in such large numbers for a winter match before. The singing was loud and the atmosphere at the match was absolutely fantastic. It is almost unbelievable to think that a football match in the middle of the winter between two teams playing in the sixth and seventh tier leagues could be such a big event. Of course all of that was made even more incredible by the extremely late kick-off time at 10:30 pm. Who knows, maybe an earlier start time could have doubled the attendance. At any rate, it was surreal to stand with Sinikaarti and watch competitive soccer being played literally at midnight. Who would have thought a year ago that such things can happen?

As I’m sure almost everybody reading this knows, the match was streamed live by Styntty Channel. According to Petteri Tyni who was standing behind the camera, statistics showed that there were 200 people watching the stream simultaneously. I also heard that at least one bar in Tampere showed the stream on their screen, and of course many of TamU-K’s friends were watching live in Seattle. This all gives a very special feeling to all of us involved with TamU-K, not least the players who are obviously not at all used to playing in front of a live international audience. Watch the highlights below.

The second round match will be played next week. The time and place are exactly the same: Tuesday night at 10:30 pm at TESC C. The opponent is Valkeakosken Koskenpojat (VaKP), who will be a much bigger test for us than Vire was. VaKP plays one level above us in Nelonen, and last season they were one of the best teams there, finishing fourth in the table just eleven points short of promotion. Winning this match would be a major accomplishment that would send a big signal to our other opponents.

Before that match there will also be a training match away in Pori against Porin Palloilijat (PoPa) on Sunday. Presumably this will give playing time to many of the players who did not play at all or only got small minutes yesterday. From a supporter point of view this is an interesting match up, because Porin Palloilijat is another club that the supporters saved when it was otherwise going to disappear. In 2011 they played in the second tier, but in 2012 they had to start from the bottom, which in their region is the sixth tier. Their supporters have gone through a lot of the same emotions as Tampere United supporters have, with the important difference that their season did not end in a promotion last year. Should be a great event kicking off in Karhuhalli at 4.15 pm on Sunday.

All in all life is pretty good for a Tampere United supporter right now. Celebrating victory, anticipating an away trip to Pori, and then another Finnish Cup match just two days later. We have had worse times.

Scoring (2×40 min playing time):
1-0 Mika Suonsyrjä, 5 min
2-0 Lauri Heittola, 43 min
3-0 Mohammed El-Harrak, 64 min

Discipline:
52 min, Jarno Jousmäki, Ikurin Vire (caution)
78 min, Jarno Jousmäki, Ikurin Vire (caution)
78 min, Jarno Jousmäki, Ikurin Vire (ejection)

Attendance:
110