To complicate matters for Inter Turku, their 2-2 draw on Thursday night came against the last-placed KTP who have only won twice all season and are winless in their last four matches.
All four goals in Kotka were scored in the first half - the visitors seemed set for an easy afternoon just seven minutes in when Loic Essomba scored for the first time in four games.
With 28 minutes gone, KTP responded with a goal from Rangel, only for Axel Kouame to provide his second assist for Essomba just three minutes later, restoring Inter's lead.
However, a wild three minutes became a chaotic five, as Assane Seck scored his second goal in as many games to equalize again.
But that was where the scoring stopped, as KTP held on for just their 11th point of the season, while the Turku side saw their two-match winning streak come to an end.
The leaders' draw opened the door for Ilves, who would go a point clear at the top with a win away at Jaro.
The home team made the Lynx work hard, but the only goal came just before the hour mark, as teenager Jardell Kanga scored for the third time this season.
Hopes for a comeback from Jaro were dashed late when the league's top scorer Kerfala Cissoko received a straight red card. As has often been the case this season, when Cissoko doesn't score, Jaro doesn't score, and that held true again as Ilves secured the 1-0 victory they needed.
It's two consecutive losses for the Jakobstad side, while the team from Tampere remains unbeaten in five domestic matches.
Another positive for Ilves this weekend is that they have also increased the gap between themselves and third-placed KuPS, who drew 1-1 with VPS.
The champions faced a setback within the first 30 minutes when Samuli Miettinen was sent off, but the hosts failed to capitalize, and the 10 men took the lead through Mohamed Toure with 10 minutes remaining.
However, with a minute left in regulation, Yassin Daoussi found an equalizer for the home team, who ended a four-match losing streak, while KuPS have been held for the second straight league game and are now four points off the lead.
HJK built on their impressive midweek comeback against NSI Runavik with a 3-1 victory over AC Oulu. Benji Michel and Kai Meriluoto gave the Helsinki side a comfortable lead at halftime, before Jere Kallinen scored a third goal 11 minutes into the second half.
Mikko Pitkanen netted a consolation in the 90th minute for Oulu, who are now just a point ahead of KTP at the bottom of the table after suffering their first defeat in four matches. A second consecutive win has allowed HJK to close within two points of KuPS.
Still a point behind HJK and eager to maintain a five-way title race are SJK, who secured a 3-1 victory over Gnistan, who now find themselves eight points further back in sixth place.
Matias Ritari put visiting Gnistan ahead in the first half, and that score held until the 59th minute, when Kasper Paananen equalized. From that point on, it was all SJK, whose Rasmus Karjalainen scored twice to extend the club's unbeaten Veikkausliiga streak to six matches.
Finally, on Monday evening, eighth-placed Mariehamn achieved their third consecutive draw by coming from behind to finish 1-1 with ninth-placed Haka, who are now three games without a victory.
Simon Lindholm scored early for Haka, but Korede Adedoyin equalized for the Aland islanders in the second half.
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