“It was the best memory of my football career,” says Ilmari Niskanen, recalling the last time he was involved in a league campaign that went down to the wire.
On that occasion, the Dundee United wide-man was at the other end of the table.
A youthful Niskanen was making his name in Finland with KuPS as their 2019 title charge went down to the wire — nerves frayed as the Kuopio outfit pursued their first championship since 1976.
Niskanen was cool as ice, scoring the opening goal as KuPS defeated Inter Turku 2-0 away from home to lift the Veikkausliiga crown.
There will be no champagne, confetti or silverware as United attempt to dig themselves out of the relegation mire — but Niskanen hopes to enjoy a similarly effective evening against Kilmarnock tonight.
“This is the first time for me in a relegation fight but I have played in pressure games before,” said Niskanen. “It was a different kind of pressure when we were playing for the title back in Finland.
“In our last game we needed to get a result — and I enjoyed that game a lot.
“We won 2–0 and I scored the first goal. It was the best memory of my football career so far. I’m hoping for some more of that feeling this week!
“There was big pressure in that game and there is big pressure for both of the teams tonight. But it’s a big opportunity to do well.”
Nerves
While keen to embrace the challenge, Niskanen is conscious of the suffocating pressure for all involved.
United are two points adrift of Ross County and three behind tonight’s opponent’s, Kilmarnock.
Should the Tangerines lose and County win against St Johnstone, Tannadice will once again be hosting Championship football next season.
“We have to handle the pressure and, for sure, there is mental pressure,” added Niskanen.
And do United have the mental strength to handle the fraught fight at the bottom? It is a pointed question that has been repeatedly levelled at this squad.
“Definitely,” continued Niskanen. “We have a lot of leaders in the team and a lot of experienced players.
“There has been pressure in the other games too and we need to turn it into a positive energy. I know we have the capability to do well. I know we have a lot of quality players.
“But we have to be able to show it. It’s not about talking now — we have to show on the pitch what it means to us.”
On paper
And Niskanen is keen to emphasise that United’s fate remains in their own hands, despite their current untimely run of three successive league defeats and the absence of Aziz Behich and, potentially, Steven Fletcher.
Six points from their last two matches and they cannot be relegated automatically.
“Of course, it has been a really big disappointment but the situation is: everything is still in our own hands,” said the defiant Finland international. “We still have a chance to get to survive and that has to be the mindset for Wednesday.
“We have gone through a lot of tough, difficult periods and the season has been a disappointment. But there is no point thinking about that just now.
“We shouldn’t be in this position because we have plenty of quality players in our team. But we ARE in this position and results are the only thing that matters.
“What the team is like on paper tells you nothing. It’s about how we perform on the pitch. We have to perform really well on Wednesday and win the game.”
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