Torino suffered their first Europa League defeat, falling 2-1 to HJK in Helsinki with the referee stretchered off.
As Club Brugge won 4-0 in Copenhagen, the Italians drop to second place behind the Belgians.
Torino suffered their first Europa League defeat, falling 2-1 to HJK in Helsinki with the referee stretchered off.
As Club Brugge won 4-0 in Copenhagen, the Italians drop to second place behind the Belgians.
The Granata were only of the only teams in the Europa League yet to concede a single goal in seven games. They came in top of the group with seven points, while HJK Helsinki had lost all three matches. Salvatore Masiello returned from the start following a nine-month lay-off.
Josef Martinez drilled just wide and failed to get a firm header to Matteo Darmian’s cross, then Pontus Jansson had penalty appeals waved away.
Juan Sanchez Mino’s shot was deflected by Fabio Quagliarella, forcing ex-Napoli goalkeeper Toni Doblas into a tricky save.
On 36 minutes Sanchez Mino beat the shot-stopper, but his blockbuster from distance smacked against the upright.
There was a bizarre moment when referee Arnold Hunter of Northern Ireland pulled up with a suspected thigh strain on the synthetic turf in Helsinki. He was stretchered off and additional assistant Raymond Crangle took over the whistle, while Fourth Official Stephen Bell became the goal-line referee.
Toro threatened again before the break, but nobody was ready when Martinez pulled a pass back into the area.
The hosts were more dangerous after the restart, Robin Lod testing Daniele Padelli with a fierce strike and Demba Savage’s first touch letting him down.
HJK put pressure on with Jansson flinging himself at Vayrynen after Padelli’s poor clearance and moments later Baah broke the deadlock, tapping in after a series of ricochets and some very unconvincing goalkeeping from Padelli. It was the first goal the Granata had conceded after seven clean sheets in Europe.
The shot-stopper was again called into action on Macoumba Kandji, but Marcelo Larrondo’s header skimmed the upright by a matter of inches.
Darmian’s volley was charged down, but HJK doubled their lead when a free kick was knocked on for Valtteri Moren to tap in from point-blank range. Again, Padelli looked as if he was going to come out for it, but then stayed on his line.
Torino set up a tense finale by clawing one back with Quagliarella, who was quickest to react when Omar El Kaddouri’s free kick was allowed to bounce in the box.
The Granata poured forward in waves during stoppages, but Molinaro’s attempt was charged down for a corner and Jansson came so close at the 95th minute with a header just over the bar.
HJK 2-1 Torino
Scorers: Baah 60 (H), Moren 81 (H), Quagliarella 90 (T)
HJK: Doblas; Baah, Lampi, Moren, Sorsa, Vayrynen (Perovuo 75), Savage, Lod, Annan, Zeneli (Alho 86), Kandji (Heikkila 90)
Torino: Padelli; Jansson, Gaston Silva, Glik, Masiello (Molinaro 71); Darmian, Gazzi, Sanchez Mino, Benassi (El Kaddouri 64); Martinez (Larrondo 55), Quagliarella
Ref: Hunter (NIR)/Crangle (NIR)