The Finnish women’s national football team Helmarit had to settle for a 2-2 draw as a guest of Slovakia in the Nations League on Tuesday. Finland’s goals scored Emmi Alanen and Jutta Rantala.
Urheilu’s football expert Essi Sainio estimated that Slovakia managed to close the middle area of the field.
– Finland was not able to implement its ball control game, where the team has been very successful in the Nations League. Finland couldn’t find alternatives to their own playing, says Sainio.
There were several players in Finland’s starting line-up who have received less playing time in the autumn and winter matches. They started attacking I am Sevenius and San Franciscoplayed in the midfield Emma Peuhkurinen and Oona Siren and contracted in the defense line Nora Heroum.
However, according to expert Sainio, that was not the reason why Finland was on the edge against Slovakia. All the players in the national team are ones you can put on the field, he states.
What did Helmarit get from the B-league?
It was clear in advance that the opponents in the B League of the Nations League are too easy for Finland. Helmarit won five of their six matches with a goal difference of 18–2.
According to Sanio, the Slovakia match reminded of the things the team needs to focus on. In that sense, the last match of the year helped Finland.
– The match against Slovakia was one that could have been hoped for throughout this season’s Nations League. You can learn a lot from that game. I think it’s extremely good that this was the last game.
Sainio reminds that Finland’s head coach Marko Saloranta wanted to change the Helmarei’s way of playing. The B-league made it possible for the team to practice the ball control game that the coaching team wanted.
In addition, the Finnish player base has changed quite a lot in a short time. This year, among others, debuted in the A national team Katariina Kosola, who got a lot of playing time in the Nations League. Previously in the national team circuit Eva Nyström and Jutta Rantala were promoted to the starting line-up players.
– Saloranta gets a high rating for its first year. He has brought a new way of playing and also won with it. It’s a great performance, Sainio estimates.
The defense must be improved
With the group win, Finland secured a place in the European Championship further qualification and went directly to the A-league, where the team will also play in next year’s European Championship qualifiers.
For the A-League, Finland needs to defend much tougher, head coach Saloranta said after the match against Slovakia.
– We also have to react better in the upper parts of the field when we lose the ball. That’s been our strength, but it wasn’t today (Tuesday). In the attacking game, we have to be able to find the moments where we don’t waste the ball, Saloranta estimates.
Also a defender Natalia Kuikka stated that Finland needs to improve defending its own penalty area and playing duels.
– There will be opponents of slightly different levels and there will certainly be a lot more defending. Those (A-league) games need to be improved a lot, Kuikka said.
Katariina Kosola stated that the Nations League, which was played for the first time this year, was a good place for Finland.
– Pretty big changes in the team and new players. We got to build a team, a new way of playing and what kind of team we want to be. Next year we will really get to challenge ourselves in the A-League.
Rock-hard opponents in the A-League
Along with Finland, Ireland, Poland and the Czech Republic secured promotion to the A-League. In the European Championship qualifiers, England and Spain will definitely play in the toughest league. For example, Sweden and Norway again have to be eliminated from their place.
The deciding matches of the Nations League will be played on the 21st-28th. February. In the same national team window, Finland can play national matches against tougher opponents.
Expert Essi Sainio says that Finland does not have much time to prepare for the EC qualifiers. Still, the team should still try something new, he estimates. Sainio states that the Finnish team probably needs experienced players in the A-league matches.
– I think there is no need to continue with the same team in practice matches. There are a lot of Finnish players in the world that you could still try to get into that lineup.
Cognoscenti Maiju Rootsalainen and Hanna Ruohomaa pondered the same in Urheilu’s 11 friends podcast. According to them, experienced players include, among others Jenny Danielsson, Kaisa Collin and Iina Salmiwho have not received much responsibility in the national team this year.
– I would like to see a few player changes next year. For example Milla Punsarin and Only by KrögerSainio says.
Is it worth it for Finland to enter the A-League by playing more defensively?
– In my opinion, the first thing to go into those games is that the team plays ball control football – even if the opponent is more challenging. It is not possible to invest only in that collective defense. There are always gaps in that too, and you should be able to score goals. This way of playing has now been driven in with the mentality that we can get by with it. It’s good to stay there now, Sainio states.