Helmarit will play again against the Netherlands in the EC qualifiers on Tuesday, June 4. will show the match live on TV2 and Areena, the broadcast will start at 18:30.
The Finnish women’s national football team Helmarit lost to the Netherlands 0–1. Defender Natalia Kuikka stated that no one from the Finnish team played at their level.
– We were a little behind in everything. We were clearly in quite a grind. We couldn’t get any of our own game going. When we started to find our own players, the basic technique just seemed to fail, Kuikka estimates.
Holland scored a goal in the 65th minute of the game. From the corner kick, the ball came over the Finnish defensive formation into the back area, from where it was played near the five-meter line. By Lineth Beerenstey finished the winning goal easily.
– We defended well throughout the match. We kept the goal as clean as we could. Until the end, you have to mark your own players in those special situations, so that doesn’t happen, Kuikka said.
A goalless draw would have been possible
Sports expert Hanna Ruohomaa estimated that Finland was a clear underdog in the match.
– It seemed that the Finnish players were stuck in the middle of the hornet swarm, when Holland came really aggressively from all directions.
With their strong press, the Netherlands completely dulled the attacking game of the away team, and Finland was unable to create enough good scoring chances. Finland had two corner kicks, one free kick and three shots on goal. There was one dangerous scoring chance, and the expected goal was 0.19.
Ruohomaa praises the fact that Finland defended unitedly. Even though Holland unleashed attacks and created chances, the team’s goal expectation was 0.69.
The expert believes that Finland would have been able to play a goalless draw right now.
– The numbers could have been uglier. A 0–0 draw was closer or more possible than Finland winning.
More effective exploitation game in Tampere
Finland and the Netherlands will meet again in Tampere on Tuesday, June 4. Helmarit gets the support of the full Tammela stadium, i.e. 8,000 spectators.
Finland needs to improve its game in a few areas before Tuesday. The team defended their own penalty area effectively on Friday, but Holland got the ball too often in the scoring sector.
– Finland must be able to defend its own penalty area better. The possession of the ball must be much more efficient. The players can’t just stay in place in defensive positions and try to cover the crosses, says Ruohomaa.
Before the away match, it was also known that Holland was pressing from a high point. Still, Finland, so to speak, was banging its head against the wall, the expert estimated.
– What would be the way to that Dutch press? How could Finland open the game better? On Friday, Helmarit forced the opening game. When (goalkeeper) Tiina-Riikka Korpela passed with short, it was really easy for Holland to defend.
– Then, when long balls were played a few times, offensive opportunities could open up for the team. Still, Finland still has to think about how to get the ball into dangerous scoring areas.
What is Eveliina Summanen’s situation?
Finnish midfielder Eveliina Summanen was substituted at halftime on Friday. He was hit in the head in the opening period and was unable to continue after the break.
After the match, the head coach Marko Saloranta stated that he does not know exactly Summanen’s situation.
– He was not feeling normal and it was a head injury. Don’t mess with it. The player’s health was a risk. Of course it complicated the game because we don’t have the same type of player, but the decision (to make the change) was clear, Saloranta said.
Expert Ruohomaa appreciates the decision of the coaching management. According to him, Finland would need Summa in the home match.
– It looks a bit bad because Tuesday is a few days away. Will Summanen be able to play at a hundred percent level? If not, the player’s health cannot be risked by another blow to the head.
Ruohomaa says that Summanen is valuable both offensively and defensively. In addition, Summanen is responsible for a large part of opening and promoting the game.
– He moves in a huge area and is also really physical. He is not only good with the ball, but can break the opponent’s game with his tackles and such a grinding game. I agree with Saloranta that Finland has no replacement for Summanen.
Helmarit will play again against the Netherlands in the EC qualifiers on Tuesday, June 4. will show the match live on TV2 and Areena, the broadcast will start at 18:30.