Two wins in Saturday's Futsal 3rd division matches ensured the promotion to 2nd division! Both of games which started bad, but eventually players got their head together and turned both games to the right direction!
Couple of changes to the line-up since the last games did not help JS Hercules to control the first game against FC Rai2 at the begin. It eventually took exactly 30:45 minutes until the chemistry was found. At this point of the first game goals started pouring in, when line-up Kytöaho-Karjaluoto-Leskinen-Kananen got the hang of the game started firing the ball to the net! Other line-up, in it's usual form with Syrjä-Kortelainen-Haaranen-Päkkilä, did as good as they usually do!
After the start of the match both sides were pretty even, scoring a couple of times in both ends. After the half-time break things started to change. Hercules got more careful, started moving without the ball and controlling the match. Goals from the both line-up ensured easy victory. Nothing fancy to tell kids about, but couple of great goals scored by Antti Karjaluoto and Tommi Päkkilä.
2nd match against FC Kurenpojat was much more "futsalish" since both of the teams tried to control the game and were quite good in executing their game plan. Fast and skillful Kurenpojat players used their pace, starting from deep to penetrate the defensive line-up on a few chances. Goalie Kolivuori did all he could and made a couple excellent reflex-saves in tight spots during the game.
FC Kurenpojat got the 3-2 lead on the 2nd half of the match, and for a second it looked like the "easy" promotion would be wasted on missed chances and bad luck. The tying goal around 35 minutes from Tommi Päkkilä eventually opened the valves once again. There was no need for time-out after this. Herkku-players were back in the game!
Everyone found their concentration and gave everything they got – this game being the last of the season, so no reason what so ever to hold back. Three more goals scored Herkku did not leave discussion who's game it was. So after a bit anxious start and desperation Herkku won 3-6.
Thanks to help from FC Rai2 a.k.a. Ylirantajengi who beat UIFK, which was behind JS Hercules in the league table, only nine goals away before their last match of the season. Cheers!
Futsal 2nd division, Sat 11.2.2012
JS Hercules – FC Rai2 7-3 (2-2)
05:42 1-0 Pekka Haaranen (Tommi Päkkilä)
07:35 1-1 Rai2: Lauri Tiensuu
08:50 1-2 Rai2: Matti Pikkarainen
15:43 2-2 Päkkilä
25:01 3-2 Jarkko Kortelainen (Päkkilä)
28:49 4-2 Kortelainen (Juho Syrjä)
30:45 5-2 Antti Karjaluoto (Leevi Leskinen)
34:03 6-2 Karjaluoto
35:20 7-2 Karjaluoto (Jarmo Kolivuori)
36:36 7-3 Rai2: Tapio Nuutinen (Jaakko Ahola)
FC Kurenpojat – JS Hercules 3-6 (2-2)
01:18 0-1 Päkkilä
02:58 1-1 FCK: Henri Lahtela (Juho-Petteri Ylitalo)
21:18 1-2 Haaranen (Kortelainen)
28:53 2-2 FCK: Ylitalo (Jaakko Juusola)
31:53 3-2 FCK: Joonas Iinatti (Juuso Illikainen)
35:51 3-3 Päkkilä (Karjaluoto)
36:00 3-4 Janne Kananen (Jani Kytöaho)
36:33 3-5 Karjaluoto (Leskinen)
38:12 3-6 Karjaluoto (Kananen)