Kalpa came from behind to beat SaiPa 4:3 in the Liiga on Thursday evening, taking all three points in a match that kept supporters on the edge of their seats until the final whistle. The result moves the hosts further away from trouble while the visitors find themselves searching for answers after their first defeat of the campaign.
Kalpa had been uneven in their last five outings, losing to Lukko and Ilves Tamperе but bouncing back with a 5:4 win over Kookoo and a 7:0 demolition of Hämeenlinna. SaiPa, meanwhile, had been flying high with six victories from seven games before a heavy 1:4 defeat to Karpaty on Tuesday put the brakes on their momentum.
We had called for a home win before kickoff, giving Kalpa 48 per cent confidence, and the prediction held up. And here's the thing — the visitors let the game flow too freely at times, and Kalpa punished them when it mattered most.
The result leaves SaiPa still sitting fourth on the table despite the loss, while Kalpa remain in 11th place but with renewed belief after seeing out a difficult fixture against the league's form team.
By then, the crowd had settled down, knowing they had witnessed something worth remembering. A fourth straight win for SaiPa had been on the cards, but tonight belonged to the hosts.
