The Huuhkajie’s European Championship qualifying matches in June were a jackpot for the flagship of Finnish football, writes Samu Saatsi.
Samu SaatsiYle Sports reporter
Huuhkajie’s European Championship qualifying matches in June were a jackpot for the flagship of Finnish football.
The packed Olympic Stadium witnessed two victories, first over Slovenia and then over San Marino. The last of the two came with a crushing score of 6–0, the weight of the first was the highest so far in the qualifiers.
San Marino, that worst football team in Europe, was finally a mouthful for Finland, which it should be. Huuhkajat pressed for a 2–0 lead in the opening period, although its offensive game was not as fluid as the one leading the game Glen Kamaran dancing with the ball.
In the second half, San Marino’s defense opened up. It required two substitutions. The head coach Markku Kanerva brought a 33-year-old Teemu Pukin and a 22-year-old By Daniel Håkans to the sides of the attacking trio.
Although Oliver Antman and moved to the middle with the changes Benjamin Källman played great, Finland now got the most out of their machinery.
San Marino’s defense collapsed, and Huuhkajat enjoyed.
Håkans was sharp on the left side and was able to run upright many times. The result was a hat trick for Håkans in the second men’s international match of his career.
The first hit, and actually Finland’s entire June EC qualifying window, was crowned by Håkans’ ventilation. Håkans performed the airing he launched wearing the shirt of his club team Vålerenga, in which he imitated Finland’s Eurovision performers Wrapper dancing to the chorus of the iconic Cha Cha Cha song.
Kanerva has brought playing on the wing more strongly to Finland’s way of playing, so the Huuhkajien will be comfortable using Håkans’ movement and raw speed on the wing in the future.
Everything was crowned by the goal of Puki, the all-time scorer of the Finnish men’s national team, which came only a moment after Håkans’ hits.
Still, the biggest attention after the Huuhkajie’s frolic was gathered by the surprising junior reinforcement. The Football Association had made the San Marino game a theme match for juniors and families. The audience was especially full of children and young people. 11-year-old Aarre Yli-Rinne had been recruited as the second announcer for the match.
Aarre predicted before the match that he would be able to shout Pohjoikaarreti and the rest of the stadium 6-10 times during the goal. The prediction stuck.
The commotion was deafening when Aarre announced six times in Huuhkajie’s matches, as has become a tradition.
“Finland, sixth goal! Goal scorer: number 10… WE WILL!”
“PUKKI!”, the audience responded three times to the shout.
“Thank you!”, Aarre decided.
“BE GOOD!”, shouted the audience at the Olympic Stadium.
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