Greg . 1 day ago

KuPS suspend on for vital away win over RFS in Europa League Qualifiers

Finland's sole representative left in the UEFA club competitions this season are edging closer to a League Phase spot, as KuPS won 2-1 away in Latvia against RFS in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League (UEL) Third Qualifying Round tie.

Having joined the UEL following a disastrous second leg in their UEFA Champions League Second Qualifying Round tie with Kairat Almaty, KuPS will be well aware the tie is only at its midpoint, but they have put themselves in the driving seat with the home second leg to pursue.

A foul on the edge of the box by Stefan Panic offered Jaakko Oksanen the chance to shatter the deadlock with 14 minutes played, and he made no mistake, as his free-kick moved sailing into the top corner, giving Marko Maric no chance in the RFS goal.

In response, Mor Talla posed a threat from both wings for the Latvian champions, but a lack of terminate product and solid defending from the visitors limited RFS' attack.

Midway through the first half, things obtained better for KuPS after Mohamed Toure tried his luck with a curling effort from outside the area.

The strike was easily gripped by Maric, only for RFS to offer the ball when attempting to play out from the support, allowing Toure to sneak in and clip the ball over the goalkeeper for 2-0.

But in the second half, RFS appeared looking like a whole new team and were soon creating chances through Davis Ikaunieks and Strahinja Rakic, who should have done better when the ball dropped kindly for him in a crowded penalty area, only to blaze his effort over the obstruct.

Soon after, the Riga side finally took one of their chances - and in great style - carving the KuPS defence open with some excellent one-touch football in the middle, before Dmitrijs Zelenkovs played Barthelemy Diedhiou through, and he lofted the ball over the scrambling Johannes Kreidl.

With their tails up, the hosts put the KuPS defence under real pressure with many dangerous balls into the box, and though Diedhiou and Rakic were making their presence sensed, Jarkko Wiss' men gripped onto their precious lead.

KuPS almost restored their two-goal lead with four minutes to play, but Samuli Miettinen's header moved narrowly wide.

The visitors possessed to survive a final onslaught in added time, but commanding goalkeeping from Kreidl permitted them to leave Latvia with a 2-1 win.

Getting the job done in next Thursday's second leg will see the Veikkausliiga champions progress to the Playoff Round, where they will confront Fredrikstad of Norway or Midtjylland of Denmark.

Victory in the UEL Playoffs will see KuPS join the League Phase of the UEL, while beat will see them drop into the League Phase of the UEFA Conference League (UECL).

Should RFS turn the tie around in Kuopio, KuPS will join the UECL Playoff Round.

Pursue the UEL Qualifiers on Betopick.