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Showing posts from July, 2020

Around the league - 30th July 2020

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Joensuu unleash their full potential in another gripping win over league leaders Sotkamo Joensuun Maila v Sotkamon Jymy 1-0 (3-3, 5-1) If there was a clash to rival last week’s epic encounter between Joensuu and KPL then this was it. In a re-run of the 2019 finals, top of the league Sotkamo played back to back games against the reigning champions Joensuu. Sotkamo started the season with a loss to Kempele, but since then they have dominated games and taken 1st place in the league. Joensuu’s start to the season was a little slower with an opening loss to IPV; however Joensuu have been building on performances game after game that culminated in an away win over Sotkamo on Tuesday.  In the first jakso Joensuu opened the scoring in the first inning with Aleksi Rautiainen bringing former Sotkamo veteran Antti Hartikainen home to score from a well placed hit to left field with the bases loaded. The outfielder, Riku Niemi, had to made a split second decision to risk a throw to home that m

Performance rankings - 20th to 26th July 2020

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Joensuu overcome their early set backs and turned on a big performance last week With several weeks of the season now played, teams are starting to find their places in the league and learn which teams they are competing for position against. Here are last weeks performance rankings. 1st Joensuun Maila Finding form and meeting high expectations can be daunting when you have a new game manager and there have been some significant players come and go from a team. Joensuu found themselves under pressure to perform and meet the level of performance that the media, fans and other teams expected - last week things started to click in to place. Joensuu’s victory over KPL that ended their unbeaten record was huge and contributed 3 points to their 8 in total from last week. 2nd Sotkamon Jymy Sotkamo remain steadily in 2nd in our performance rankings, with 3 points over IPV and PattU; however their game against Kempele last week showed that teams lower in the league still have the ability

Around the league - 24th July 2020

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Vimpeli edge past PattU in an extra inning win Vimpelin Veto v Pattijoen Urheilijat, Raahe 2-1s (2-3, 4-2, 1-0) It’s been a less than spectacular start to the season for both Vimpeli and PattU, who have under-achieved in the table. Vimpeli are very much a work in progress, with a transition to new and younger players from the star-studded team that stood equal to Sotkamo. In particular Perttu Ruuska is taking up the role of Lukkari (pitcher) and having to learn on the job. Pattijoki have their own problems to deal with too; whilst their team has a core of seasoned and talented players in Sami Haapakoski, Topi Kosonen and Jari Törmänen, they struggled in their early games to dominate and win games convincingly. Now PattU have the difficulty of playing catch-up with the top teams in the league without key players. Jari Törmänen is out for the season with a toe injury, whilst Paavo Pelto (who has returned from injury) is not necessarily back to his best performance; however the only th