GFT 1-3 Ilves FS (Ilves lead 1-0 in the Final series)

Ladies and gentleman I present to you, Still your reigning, defending Finnish Champions, Ilves!

What a perfect start to the best of five series against GFT, the team that finished second in the regular season table, we are in the position where we are the road team and must win away from home and just like the last round against KaDy, we started off with that crucial away victory.

Our MVP for the Play-Off’s has without doubt been Timur Inapshba and it was his ball through to Valtteri Similä that gave us the lead 16.57 into the game, we held on to that lead through into the second half where things just got better, it only took until 22.36 for us to be celebrating again, Similä becoming the assist man this time setting up Juhana Jyrkiäinen for 2-0, we were looking good for the win at this point.

Of course 2-0 is never a scoreline to sit on and wait, so naturally we pressed for a third, and we got it just 2 minutes and 14 seconds after Jyrkiäinen’s goal, Juhana took his turn at assisting as his pass went to Simo Martiskainen who volleyed in for our third, a 3-0 lead now and the game was all but over.

It could have been more, Inapshba got hauled down on his way to goal by Risto Salmi of GFT who was red carded for the challange and Ilves went on the powerplay with 4 minutes to go, we were happy just to see out this victory and keep a clean sheet, but with just 2 seconds left on the clock, GFT spoiled our clean sheet when Teemu Terho scored at 39.58.

We’ve let in just one goal in our last 3 games, this is Championship form, our next game is Today (Saturday) in my old local area of Kaukajärvi, Tampere. Hopefully the Spiral-Halli will be sold out and bouncing!

Ilves 1-0 KaDy – ILVES FINAALIIN!

And just like last year, Ilves are going to the Finnish Futsal League Final. We are still the reigning, defending Champions and after our 1-0 win today we will play either GFT or Sievi in the final. Sievi destroyed GFT in their second semi-final today, winning 8-0 and leveling the series at 1-1 with their deciding game being played on Saturday 23.3.

Our play-off hero Timur Inapshba was the only scorer in today’s game as we once again shut-out KaDy. In 22 regular season games KaDy won 18, drawn 3 and only lost once, so for us to beat them twice, without letting them score a single goal in our series shows that we are the most in-form play-off team.

The next home game for us will be Sunday 7.4 and that will be game 2 in the series against GFT/Sievi. Playing the extra game away from home in a series is a big disadvantage but we are playing strong enough to beat anyone right now. KaDy have had a great season though but failed to reach their third final. Ilves however are aiming for our 7th Championship. We currently have 6 Kulta (gold) we also have 3 Hopea (silver) and 1 Pronssi (bronze) achievements in our history. We’re Finland’s most successful futsal team, we are now in our tenth final which is double the amount of our nearest rivals.

Kiitos Ilves!