Inter Turku have spent many weeks as the leaders of the Veikkausliiga this season, with holders KuPS chasing their coat tails. But now, with only a few weeks of the season to go, the roles have been reversed, and the Kuopio side sit top of the pile after a commanding 3-0 win over FC Inter away from home.
After a goalless first half, KuPS took only two second-half minutes to open the scoring. Jaakko Oksanen's effort was saved by Eetu Huutanen, but he only succeeded in parrying the ball straight to Piotr Parzyszek, who gobbled up the rebound.
10 minutes later, the visitors doubled their advantage when Saku Savolainen set up Mohamed Toure. Then, six minutes from time, Agon Sadiku completed the scoring by beating Huutanen to a loose ball and delicately lofting it over him and into the net.
The 3-0 win is KuPS' third victory on the bounce, taking them a point clear of Ilves in the Championship Group, while it's three without a win for the Turku side, who are two points further back.
KuPS only had the chance to go top after Ilves suffered a first defeat in seven on Saturday, going down 2-1 to SJK, who move up into fourth and within five points of first place.
An unfortunate Anton Popovitch turned the ball into his own net after 15 minutes to put SJK in front, and that's how things stayed until Ilves thought they had got themselves out of trouble five minutes from time when Tatu Miettunen found an equaliser.
However, in the 89th minute, a sublime touch from Olatoundji Tessilimi brought the ball down and into the path of Armaan Wilson, who calmly rolled it into the bottom corner to earn the Seinajoki side a second 2-1 win in as many games.
In the Relegation Group on Saturday, KTP put themselves in pole position to take the Relegation Playoff place in the final round in two week's time and consign Haka to automatic relegation by drawing 1-1 with Mariehamn at home.
Jelle van der Heyden put the visitors in front in the first half, but an equaliser from Rangel five minutes after half-time ensured a share of the spoils and a one-point lead for KTP over Haka ahead of their head-to-head clash in two week's time.
Finally, goals from Musa Jatta and Julius Korkko gave AC Oulu a 2-0 win over VPS - a fourth win in their last five for Oulu, as many as in their previous 21 matches. VPS stay top of the Relegation Group, but only on goal difference after two wins and two losses since the league split.