Pelicans Lahti U20 beat Ilves Tampere U20 2:1 in a club friendly match on Thursday, 28 August. The result comes just a week after the sides met, when Ilves took a 3-2 win at home. By then, both teams were clearly still shaping their plans for the season ahead.
And here's the thing about friendlies — you watch for patterns, not points. Pelicans showed more control through the middle, something you could sense even without seeing the full tactical breakdown. Ilves had moments, but they came scattered rather than in rhythm.
The visitors have been playing some open stuff recently. Seven goals against KalPa U20, five against Tappara U20, though they also conceded eight in that same fixture. To be fair, the defensive structure hasn't quite clicked yet, and that showed in how Pelicans pressed into their half.
Pelicans came into this with momentum. Three wins from their last five, including that 3-0 against Kookoo U20 on Wednesday. They've been building something steady rather than chasing results, which is how you prepare for competitive football.
The final score sits at two goals to one. Not a lot of separation, but enough to suggest Pelicans found their footing first. Ilves will want to look at what happened in those opening exchanges — friendlies give you room to fix things before the real games start.