The speed of the Huahkaji race train to Germany is accelerating. Four consecutive wins make for a stress-free football celebration on Sunday, writes Urheilu’s Jussi Vainikka.
Jussi Vainikka
Markku Kanervan points are released from the conveyor belt of the qualifying factory when they are most needed.
Thursday’s match against Kazakhstan was a new chapter in Huuhkajie’s recipe for success in recent years. There have been no surprising points losses in qualifying games for many years. Now the Huuhkajat are languishing in their supreme solitude at the top of Group H on a four-game winning streak.
In Astana, Huuhkajie’s patience was tested on the weak artificial turf. The first period was confusing play on both sides, but in the second the grip and control shifted more clearly to Finland. Head coach Kanerva’s changes were successful – Glen Kamara and Benjamin Källman were both setting up the winning goal.
by Oliver Antman the fingers of one hand will soon not be enough for important national team goals, even though he has been with the team for barely a whole year.
Before meeting Finland, Kazakhstan had collected big wins against Denmark and Northern Ireland against statistical odds. No more magic tricks were seen in the evening in Astana. Kazakhstan couldn’t create any decent scoring opportunities.
Huuhkajie’s team continues from Kazakhstan directly to Helsinki. The charter flight has a duration of no less than 11 hours, so Friday will be spent returning. Already on Sunday, Denmark will visit the Olympic Stadium, and they will play against San Marino on their home field on Thursday night.
The victory in Kazakhstan took the pressure off Huuhkajie’s neck for the Denmark match. A big Finnish football celebration can be expected from the match, which has already been sold out for months.
At Markku Kanerva’s pickle factory, additional spices are needed for the basic recipe to produce results. Seasoning can be done boldly, because the Denmark match does not determine the big picture of the qualification. In the name of honesty, Finland can afford to lose on Sunday.
Of course, in the boozers’ booth, such speeches are not given any value. Besides, Denmark arrives in Helsinki as a chaser, and has yet to win away from home in these qualifiers. Still, everything that accumulates from the grass of the Olympic Stadium into the points pot is a bonus.
In any case, the German racing train will continue firmly on its tracks until the fall. The two best teams in the qualifying group get a place in next summer’s EC final tournament.
Below is the league table before the Denmark-San Marino and Slovenia-Northern Ireland matches starting on Thursday at 21:45.
23.3. Denmark–Finland 3 to 1
26.3. Northern Ireland–Finland 0–1
16.6. Finland–Slovenia 2–0
19.6. Finland–San Marino 6–0
7.9. Kazakhstan–Finland 0–1
Sun 10.9. at 19 Finland–Denmark
Sat 14.10. at 19 Slovenia–Finland
Tue 17.10. at 19 Finland–Kazakhstan
Fri 17.11. at 19 Finland–Northern Ireland
Mon 20.11. at 21:45 San Marino–Finland
The best two of the group will qualify for the summer 2024 European Championships, which will be played in Germany.
shows all Huuhkajie’s qualifying matches live.