Helmarit gets the desired confirmation from Katariina Kosola for the decisive European Championship qualifying matches. Eveliina Summanen’s goal in the English Super League has delighted the players at the camp.
On Friday, the Finnish women’s national football team will face Scotland in the opening part of the decisive pair of matches of the EC further qualification in Edinburgh. The live broadcast of the match starts on TV2, Areena and the app at 21:15.
Helmarit will play his most important match in a long time in Scotland on Friday. The team is currently preparing exceptionally well for the EC further qualification in Rotterdam, Holland.
A happy thing for the team is a winger Katariina Kosola return to assembly. The last time he played in the national team shirt was at the beginning of April.
– It’s a big deal to join the group again after a difficult year. And there are still important games ahead, so what better feeling, Kosola told Urheilu from Rotterdam.
A stubborn ankle injury kept Kosola, 23, off the field for more than half a year. He finally returned to real action at the beginning of November in the last round of the Swedish league and played for half an hour in BK Häcken’s shirt.
– I am one hundred percent fine. Regarding the injury, everything has been sorted out, Kosola says.
– Of course, I didn’t really have time to play before this camp. The season ended a bit in the middle, and the feeling of the game is not the best possible, but otherwise it feels good.
Kosola established his place in Helmarei by rushing in the fall of 2023. At the same time, he shone in Häcken in the Champions League and, among other things, shot the winning goal into Real Madrid’s net.
Helmaret’s hardest goal scorer at the moment Jutta Rantala’s story being on the sidelines, decision-making ability is required from others. A midfielder in the English Super League at the weekend Eveliina Summanen scored a dazzling long-range goal for Tottenham. It has been rolled in the Helmareite camp even in Rotterdam.
– After all, it has come up a few times. Paint can be made like that too! It’s good that such a threat can also be found in the midfield, says Kosola.
In the case of Kosola, especially his special skills in one-on-one situations would be useful against Scotland. With the non-existent feeling of the game, Kosola’s opening slot on Friday can be considered unlikely.
– These are the biggest games in my career so far. Whether it’s five minutes or half an hour or more, everything will be done to make it to the Games.
It was Scotland’s Helmarit who got off their heels with two wins in the previous EC qualifiers on their way to the group win. The Scots’ winning streak is as long as seven matches, but the opponents have been significantly worse than Finland’s counterparts.
– As a team, they definitely try to control the ball and on the other hand also press aggressively. I expect an even game, we have messed with them a few times in recent years, says Kosola.
The fate of the European Championship venue will be decided next Tuesday in Helsinki. The winner of the pair of matches advances to the final tournament to be played in Switzerland next summer. For Kosola, the prestigious tournament would be the first in his career.