Defeat to HJK in the previous round meant Inter Turku wasted a chance to take advantage of KuPS' deteriorating form, only for HJK to do them a favour by holding the champions to a draw earlier in this round. That meant a win would take FC Inter to 45 points, level with KuPS at the summit with two of the 10 rounds of the championship group played.
However, they found making a breakthrough tough against a VPS side whose previous three matches had all finished 1-0 - two of which had seen the Vaasa side take victory - as neither side had a shot on target in the first half.
But in the second half, Inter Turku not only began to test the VPS goalkeeper, but created chances for Clinton Jephta and Muhammed Suso, although they were wasteful with their opportunities.
That was until 20 minutes to go, when Herman Sjogrell tried his luck with a free-kick from just over 25 yards out, and his left-footed strike from the left side bounced just in front of Mamadou Jalloh and into the net.
VPS were unable to find a late response, and they stay in fifth place, four points off the European places and with six defeats in their last nine. The Turku side have a goal difference of +13, two worse than KuPS, while the sides have an identical record of 12 wins and nine draws from their 24 matches.