Scoutmania

Toni Korkeakunnas, who managed HJK for 67 games and worked as assistant manager for the Finland National Team, parted ways with the club following a difficult start of the season and the Inter Turku 1-1 draw.

In possession, HJK’s shape was a 3-4-3 (at times a 4-2-3-1) and utilized a popular set-up, whereby the outside players formed an octagon and the inside players connected the play. Teams with this set-up could create an overload in the middle, or they could attract opposition pressure onto the wing-backs in which the wingers could exploit the space in the channels.

HJK defenders, particularly new signing Georgios Antzoulas, were targeted in the Inter press. Inter’s pressing triggers include: low-intensity horizontal passes and the passing distance being twice the length of the pressing distance. HJK were susceptible to Inter’s presses and conceded the equaliser after an opposition successful pressure.

While HJK had some good possession plays and combinations, plus the experienced Teemu Pukki leading the line with good movements and stretching the opposition line, HJK had trouble taking advantage of quick attacks and crossing situations.

Naturally, most teams would defend with numbers against HJK, so the team needed to identify moments where they could attack quickly, and they needed to attack with speed and intensity. In the following situation, young Pyry Mentu cleverly turned and broke into the next line, only to go back with HJK potentially bearing down on goal with a 3v3 situation.

In some of these crossing situations, HJK attackers heavily relied on the movement of the players and rarely on the physicality of the players. In this situation, ex-Pogon Szczecin winger Santeri Hostikka dribbled down the wing in a 1v1 and failed to find a teammate in the box.

HJK defense had trouble in the aerial duels. In the following situation, while defending a cross, the Inter Turku player jumped higher than the HJK defender.

Similarly, HJK conceded many chances defending corners, as they lost duels in the air.

Out of possession, HJK defended with a 4-4-2, generally with organised pressing and defenders pressing back-to-goal Inter players as the opponents supported their teammates under pressure.

A key issue in HJK’s defensive line was the centre backs following the strikers too high. In the following scenario, both HJK centre backs jumped, creating a massive gap in the middle of the line. The dual positioning of experienced midfielder Alexander Ring as part of the back 3 in possession, and in midfield out of possession, also opened up some spaces within HJK’s defensive structure.

Opposition Analysis

In a previous Inter Turku analysis, I identified Inter’s strengths in the counterattacking situation and attacking on the right, which was noticeable also in this match.

In the following image depicting the last 30 seconds of the match, the 2nd ball from a long goal-kick landed onto the path of Veikkausliiga player of the Year 2025 Axel Kouame in the right pocket, again allowing for a quick attack on the HJK goal. Inter had far more dangerous chances than HJK, who dominated possession and also created a few chances on the other end.

2nd half changes

With HJK 1-0 up at half time, a positive change was having a winger be the third midfielder in possession, creating more passing lanes for the defenders and allowing for smoother plays through the middle. One change that did not work was having 6-7 players up the field for an attacking set piece, and Inter took full advantage in their counterattack. It was a surprise that Inter did not score from any of the two extremely dangerous counterattacks early in the 2nd half.

2nd half substitutions had these players bringing energy to the game by pressing the opponent. Unfortunately, they were pressing by themselves, and these efforts proved futile. HJK’s pressing became more coordinated as they tried to find the winner at 1-1.

In general, HJK had strong possession play and created chances as expected, but their game on both ends of the pitch let them down.

Here is the player who stood out in this match:

Teemu Pukki (HJK), striker born 1990.

This Finnish superstar needs no introduction. He scored a goal. In possession, he timed his movement well to stretch the opposition defence and got onto the end of through balls and crosses. Out of possession, he led an organised HJK press. Upon selection for the coming World Cup qualifiers against the Netherlands and Poland, manager Jacob Friis must consider ways to push the opposition defensive line back and use movements or combinations to allow for players like Teemu Pukki, Benjamin Källman, Joel Pohjanpalo and Oliver Antman to get in behind the defence and score without giving opportunities to Premier League defenders such as Virgil van Dijk or Jan Bednarek to recover and tackle.