Juhani Ojala

Juhani Ojala (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈjuhɑni ˈʔojɑlɑ]; born 19 June 1989) is a Finnish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Veikkausliiga club Honka.[2] Ojala was born in Vantaa, Finland where he played for the local youth team before moving to HJK's organisation.

Juhani Ojala
Personal information
Full name Juhani Lauri Henrik Ojala
Date of birth (1989-06-19) 19 June 1989
Place of birth Vantaa, Finland[1]
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Centre-back
Team information
Current team
 Doxa Katokopias
Number 14
Youth career
2001–2005 VJS
2006–2008 HJK
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2009 Klubi 04 14 (1)
2009–2011 HJK 41 (1)
2011–2013 Young Boys 23 (0)
2013–2016 Terek Grozny 24 (0)
2015 → HJK (loan) 4 (0)
2016 SJK 9 (0)
2017–2019 Häcken 32 (4)
2019–2021 Vejle 45 (3)
2021–2022 Motherwell 21 (1)
2023 Doxa 10 (0)
2023– Honka 3 (0)
2023– → Honka II 1 (0)
International career‡
2007 Finland U-19 1 (0)
2008–2009 Finland U-20 3 (0)
2009–2010 Finland U-21 6 (0)
2011– Finland 31 (1)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Finland
Baltic Cup
Second placeBaltic Cup2012
Third placeBaltic Cup2014
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 25 October 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17:16, 29 July 2021 (UTC)


Ojala made his international debut for Finland in November 2011, at the age of 22.

Club career

HJK Helsinki

During the 2009 season, Ojala represented mostly Klubi-04, HJK's reserve squad. In the beginning of the 2010 season, however, he was selected to HJK's first eleven, due to various injuries in the squad. His performances were outstanding, and he quickly established himself as one of the key players in HJK's victorious 2010 campaign, playing in all games. Ojala became one of the best and most talented players in the Veikkausliiga, and his performances provoked widespread international interest.[3] At the end of the 2010 Veikkausliiga season, he was officially selected as the defender of the year.[4]

Young Boys

On 9 April 2011 Ojala signed a contract extension with HJK, the new contract running until 2014.[5] But in July, HJK announced that Ojala would transfer to Swiss team BSC Young Boys on 13 August.[6]

He gained notoriety in England during Young Boys' 2012–13 UEFA Europa League group stage match against Liverpool at the Stade de Suisse. In an eventful match, which ended 5–3 to the Reds, Ojala opened the score with an own goal, putting the ball past Marco Wölfli, his own goalkeeper. He later made amends by scoring a header to bring Young Boys level at 2–2 just after half time.

Terek Grozny

After a year and a half in Switzerland on 12 February 2013 it was announced that Ojala would transfer to Russian Premier League team Terek Grozny.[7]

Loan to HJK Helsinki

On 29 July 2015, Ojala rejoined HJK on loan for the remainder of the 2015 Veikkausliiga season.[8] He had a trial with Coventry City F.C. at the end of the season, but was not signed.

SJK

On 1 September 2016, Ojala signed with SJK.[9] He made his debut for SJK on 9 September 2016 playing full 90 minutes in a match against Inter Turku.[10]

Vejle

On 26 August 2019, Danish 1st Division club Vejle Boldklub confirmed, that they had signed Ojala.[11] He reached promotion to the Danish Superliga during his first season at the club,[12] and personally finished with 22 appearances in which he scored two goals.[13]

On 14 September 2020, his debut in the Superliga, he scored in a 4–2 loss to rivals AGF.[14]

Motherwell

On 29 July 2021, Motherwell announced the signing of Ojala on a two-year contract.[15] Ojala left Motherwell by mutual consent on 1 September 2022, having played 24 times for the club.[16]

Doxa Katokopias

On 11 January 2023, Doxa Katokopias announced the signing of Ojala.[17]

International career

In November 2010, after representing Finland on youth levels, Ojala was called up to the national team squad to face San Marino. He made his national team debut on 15 November 2011 in a friendly match against Denmark in Esbjerg when Mixu Paatelainen used him as a substitute.[18] He gained his first FIFA World Cup qualification appearance 12 October 2012 in Helsinki Olympic Stadium in a match against Georgia.[19] During autumn of 2012 he established himself as a regular in the national team. He made his first goal for Finland on 9 January 2017 in a friendly match in Tahnoun bin Mohammed Stadium, Al Ain against Morocco.[20]

Ojala was called up for the UEFA Euro 2020 pre-tournament friendly match against Sweden on 29 May 2021.[21]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 12 March 2023[13]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Klubi 04 2009 Ykkönen 111————111
HJK 2009 Veikkausliiga 40——40
2010 24041706[lower-alpha 1]1—412
2011 17120202[lower-alpha 2]0—231
Total 45161908100683
Young Boys 2011–12 Swiss Super League 11010———120
2012–13 12000—10[lower-alpha 3]1—221
Total 230100010100341
Terek Grozny 2012–13 Russian Premier League 3000———30
2013–14 20010———210
2014–15 1010———20
Total 24020000000260
HJK (loan) 2015 Veikkausliiga 4000002[lower-alpha 3]0—60
SJK 2016 9010000[lower-alpha 2]0—100
BK Häcken 2017 Allsvenskan 23310———240
2018 6040—0[lower-alpha 3]0—100
2019 3110—1[lower-alpha 3]0—50
Total 32460001000394
Vejle 2019–20 Danish 1st Division 22200———222
2020–21 Danish Superliga 23110———241
Total 45310000000463
Motherwell 2021–22 Scottish Premiership 2112010——241
2022–23 00000000—00
Total 211201000--241
Doxa Katokopias 2022–23 Cyta Championship 5020———70
Career total 220102111002120024113
  1. Four appearances and one goal in the UEFA Champions League, two appearances in the UEFA Europa League
  2. Appearances in the UEFA Champions League
  3. Appearances and goals in the UEFA Europa League

International
As of match played 29 May 2021[22]
Appearances and goals by national team, year and competition
Team Year Competitive Friendly Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Finland 2011 0 0 1 0 1 0
2012 1[lower-alpha 1] 0 4 0 4 0
2013 1[lower-alpha 2] 0 2 0 3 0
2014 0 0 4 0 4 0
2015 1[lower-alpha 3] 0 0 0 1 0
2016 1[lower-alpha 4] 0 1 0 1 0
2017 3[lower-alpha 5] 0 3 1 6 1
2018 0 0 1 0 1 0
2019 0 0 2 0 2 0
2020 2[lower-alpha 6] 0 2 0 4 0
2021 0 0 2 0 2 0
Total 9 0 22 1 31 1

Notes

  1. Appearance in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification.
  2. Appearance in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification.
  3. Appearances in the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying.
  4. Appearance in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification.
  5. Appearances in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification.
  6. Appearances in the 2020–21 UEFA Nations League.

International goals
Scores and results list Finland's goal tally first.[22]
NoDateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.9 January 2017Tahnoun bin Mohamed Stadium, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates Morocco1–01–0Friendly

Honours

Club
HJK
Vejle

Country

Finland national football team

Individual
  • 2010: Veikkausliiga defender of the year[23]

References
  1. "HJK Profile". Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 18 April 2011.
  2. Tervetuloa Juhani Ojala esporthonka.com, 21 July 2023
  3. Isotalo Mikko, Judesoturi, Iltalehti Urheilu 27 July 2010, p. 6
  4. HJK:n Ojala ja Mäkelä pelipaikkojensa parhaat HS.fi, 21 October 2010
  5. HJK:n oma kasvattitoppari jatkosopimukseen Archived 18 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine (in Finnish)
  6. Toppari Juhani Ojala siirtyy Sveitsiin Archived 20 December 2016 at the Wayback Machine (in Finnish)
  7. "Juhani Ojala siirtyy Venäjän liigaan Terek Groznyin riveihin" (in Finnish). Helsingin Sanomat. 12 February 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
  8. "JUHANI OJALA LOPPUKAUDEKSI KLUBIIN!". hjk.fi/ (in Finnish). HJK. 29 July 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  9. "Maajoukkueen puolustaja Juhani Ojala SJK-paitaan". sjk2007.fi (in Finnish). SJK. 1 September 2016. Archived from the original on 8 October 2016. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  10. "SJK 1-0 Inter" (in Finnish). Veikkausliiga. 9 September 2016. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  11. Vejle Boldklub køber Juhani Ojala, vejle-boldklub.dk, 26 August 2019
  12. Burkal Nielsen, Ronni (14 July 2020). "Vejle rykker op i Superligaen". sport.tv2.dk (in Danish). TV 2. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  13. Juhani Ojala at Soccerway
  14. "Målfarlige AGF knækker Vejle i sæsonpremiere" (in Danish). TV 2. 14 September 2020. Retrieved 14 September 2020. Towards the end of the match, however, Vejle managed to score twice and create renewed tension. First, Ghanaian debutant Raphael Dwamena scored on a low strike from the edge of the box, and then Finnish Juhani Ojala came on the scoreboard with a header after a corner kick in the 84th minute.
  15. "JUHANI OJALA SIGNS FOR MOTHERWELL". motherwellfc.co.uk/. Motherwell F.C. 29 July 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  16. "JUHANI OJALA DEPARTS". motherwellfc.co.uk/. Motherwell F.C. 1 September 2022. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  17. "ΑΝΑΚΟΙΝΩΣΗ – JUHANI OJALA". doxafc.com.cy/ (in Greek). Doxa Katokopias FC. 11 January 2023. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  18. "Musta hetki koitui Suomen kohtaloksi" (in Finnish). YLE Urheilu. 15 November 2011. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  19. "Eremenko junior ulos, Suomi puristi vajaalla tasapeliin" (in Finnish). YLE Urheilu. 12 October 2012. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  20. "Huuhkajat voitti vihdoin – Juhani Ojalan puskumaali yllätti Marokon" [Eagle Owls finally win - Juhani Ojala's header surprised Morocco] (in Finnish). yle. 9 January 2017. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  21. "Näillä pelaajilla Huuhkajat lähtevät kohti EM-kisoja – kaksi nimeä kiinnostivat yli muiden" (in Finnish). Helsingin Sanomat. 19 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  22. "Ojala, Juhani". National Football Teams. Retrieved 16 February 2017.
  23. "Pelipaikkojen parhaat 2010 nimetty" (in Finnish). Veikkausliiga. 7 November 2010. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
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