HIFK end 44-year wait to paint Helsinki red

Long-awaited joy was bestowed upon HIFK's faithful fanbase on Friday night as their side claimed bragging rights from the Stadin derby for the first time since 1972.

The thrilling 2-1 win over their rivals, league leaders HJK, was HIFK's first of the modern era since their 2015 return to the top flight of Finnish football.

Victory provided a crucial 3 points for HIFK's survival hopes as they tightened their grip on 10th position and moved 5 points clear of Inter Turku who occupy the relegation playoff spot.

The result compounded HJK's stuttering form which has seen their hopes of a 28th Finnish championship falter in recent weeks.

Last night's result has opened the door for Åland based IFK Mariehamn who can move one point clear at the top on Sunday with a win over cellar-dwellers PK-35 Vantaa. Tampere's FC Ilves are also nipping at HJK's heels and can draw level on points with a win in Lahti with only 3 rounds remaining.

Stadin Kingit lit up Sonera Stadium before kick off (Photo: Tommi Hänninen)

Juho Mäkelä and Pekka Sihvola did the damage for HIFK with two well taken goals before Alfredo Morelos pulled a goal back for HJK late on to make the closing minutes interesting.

Journeyman Mäkelä returned to haunt his former club by opening the scoring with his eighth goal of the season; a deft header soon after the half hour mark.

The striker enjoyed three successful spells at HJK in between stints in Scotland, Switzerland, Germany, and Australia, however fan's affections went out the door when his pen touched paper for HIFK earlier this year.

Mäkelä clearly remembered his hostile reception from Klubipääty back in May in which fans burnt his old jersey. Such treatment dispelled former loyalties, allowing Mäkelä to wheel away in celebration without remorse for his former employers.

Sihvola was on hand to double HIFK's advantage in the second half, running onto Ville Salmikivi's insightful pass to tuck the ball past Thomas Dähne before celebrating with the elated Stadin Kingit behind the goal.

Morelos provided hope for HJK with a late header, however the Colombian's fifteenth goal of the season proved to be little more than consolation as HIFK held on for the win with some inspired last ditch defending in the closing minutes.

The final whistle brought jubilation for the HIFK fans in Pohjoispääty (the north stand), the majority of whom had never witnessed a Stadin derby win in their lifetime. Fans spilled onto the pitch to celebrate the historic win with the players to begin a party of red that would burn long into the night.

Klubi will require a drastic turn in fortune in their final few weeks if they are to claim the Finnish championship. By cruel coincidence all three of their remaining fixtures are against clubs in the top four, providing a challenging October for the reigning champions as the 2016 Veikkausliiga rolls on toward an epic conclusion.