AC Oulu were looking over their shoulders having failed to secure a championship group place ahead of the final day, and just one shot on target in 90 minutes hardly sparked confidence, but by keeping SJK at bay, they had done enough to take their place in the top six. They finish the regular season two games unbeaten, while SJK end their two-game winless run and head into the relegation group with a 10th-place finish.
VPS and Oulu began the day three points clear of seventh-placed TPS, thus the Vaasa side also needed just a point to book their championship group place. However, with 16 minutes played, Lahti put together a brilliant team move, finished off by Martim Augusto squaring for Aaron Lindholm to tap into an empty net. That was the only goal of the game, as the visitors headed into the relegation group on the back of two wins, as VPS waited for news from elsewhere.
That VPS result meant TPS needed to win by two goals against Gnistan to secure they would be contesting European places on their first season back in the top flight. The dream looked on in the 84th minute when Albijon Muzaci put TPS ahead, but instead of kick on for a late winner, the visitors conceded a penalty, which Joakim Latonen dispatched to earn his side a point, and end TPS' hopes of a top-half finish.
VPS therefore held on to finish sixth, behind Oulu, while there was more disappointment for TPS, who fell to eighth having been overtaken by Lahti.
Even with their loss to Mariehamn last week, KuPS were already guaranteed first place at the end of the regular season, yet that took nothing away from Inter Turku's victory in the top-of-the-table clash, as now just one point separates the sides going into the business end of the season.
FC Inter looked to have wasted their best chances earlier in the contest, only for them to grab the points four minutes into added time. Robert Ivanov's header at a corner was turned onto the post, but in the melee that followed, Muhammed Suso stabbed home a winning goal on his debut.
KuPS lose their last two regular season games either side of qualifying for the UEFA Conference League, while Inter Turku are five unbeaten in the league after their Conference League dream was ended in midweek.
Finishing the first stage in third place, knocking Gnistan down to fourth and sitting five points shy of FC Inter are HJK, who returned to winning ways at Ilves, who finish in ninth and with three successive losses. Alex Ring's penalty was cancelled out by Kalle Wallius two minutes later, only for Mads Borchers to score the winner with his first touch, having come on in the 73rd minute.
As the top two met in Turku, the bottom two faced off on Aland, and incredibly, Mariehamn made it three wins in a row after winning none of their first 19 games. Adam Larsson and Thomas Jakobsen struck in the second half to take the hosts' points tally to 14, only one behind Jaro, who end the regular season with five defeats in a row.
Follow the Veikkausliiga championship and relegation groups on Flashscore.