How did Huuhkajat turn his miserable mood into such a drug? These things will decide whether the high statistics can continue against Denmark as well

Finland will meet Denmark in the European Championship qualifying match on Sunday at 19:00. The live broadcast of the match will start on TV2, Areena and ‘s website at 18:15.

The Finnish men’s national football team Huuhkajat is again in a very strong mood in the European Championship qualifiers. When the Huuhkajat secured their place in the European Championships for the first time in 2019, the team lost in their opening match, but then went on to four consecutive clean sheets.

After that streak, Finland faced the group’s pre-favorite Italy in Tampere at the Ratina Stadium on a September evening. At that time, Italy took the three points with 2-1 goals, won the group in November by beating every opponent and finally celebrated European Championship gold.

Now Finland is in an almost identical situation in the EC qualifiers. This time, Denmark, which has underperformed recently, will be a guest at the Olympic Stadium. Urheilu’s football expert Miika Nuutinen says that Finland will be in a wonderful situation to play against the early favorites of the group.

– If Finland is able to take a point or even a victory from this game, the EC place is really close. Denmark has underperformed in terms of results, but is still the number one country. Denmark is really strong on the ball and will certainly take over the game in that respect.

In this story, Nuutinen tells how the Huuhkaji have the opportunity to play a zero game again.

1. Improved cooperative play

Before the European Championship qualifiers, Finland’s performances in last year’s Nations League did not change. The team had been reformed, when, for example, the long-term central defenders Joona Toivio and Paulus Arajuuri had finished their national team career. Huuhkajat barely survived in the B-League, when Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro and Romania played in the same group.

At the end of 2022 and at the beginning of this year, Finland played four international matches, which were weak in terms of results: two draws and two losses. In March, at the opening of the European Championship qualifiers, Denmark gave a cold ride when they beat Finland 3–1.

Since then, the Huuhkajat have been in a great mood, when Finland has won four matches in a row, and in addition, their own goal has remained untouched for 360 minutes. What explains Finland’s record streak of clean sheets?

– The game pictures of the EC qualifying matches have been quite different compared to the Nations League games. In those matches, Finland kept a lot of the ball deep in the opponent’s area. With that, the opponents’ scoring situations came as a result of quick attacks, expert Nuutinen reflects.

When the opponents were able to build fast attacks, Finland was forced to defend large spaces in their own penalty area. According to the news, the team didn’t manage to do it very well at that time. During the qualifiers, Finland has played significantly more in the defensive block.

– Basically, it means that more players are involved in defending the own goal, which means that the team has superiority in relation to the opponents.

Nuutinen also notes that the team’s teamwork has improved. In national teams, players understandably train and play less together than in their club teams. Match by match, the players get to know each other better, which clarifies communication.

– The coaching has certainly worked to ensure that the block is more solid and the responsibilities in defending the box are clearer.

2. Breathing breaks

In the previous EC qualifying match against Denmark, Finland was unable to defend on its own terms. Denmark moved the ball, and the Finnish players had to run a lot in the game.

– After that very good start, the Finnish defense block didn’t really hold up, and the match was more or less a battle of survival, Nuutinen states.

At least in their home match, the Danish midfielders fell several times in the so-called lower pocket, next to the Finnish forwards. According to Nuutinen, it caused quite a lot of problems for Finland, when the team couldn’t decide who would really defend them.

– When the defensive formation was separated after the midfielders, attack spaces opened up for Denmark elsewhere. In my opinion, the problems of boxing’s defense came precisely from that.

As the match progressed, Denmark’s pressure grew greater and greater as they were constantly receiving long attacks. That way, Denmark was able to advance deep into Finnish territory, and Finland was not able to sufficiently influence Denmark’s attack.

At times, Finland got possession of the ball on the away field against Denmark, but the team failed to play against the aggressive press. Nuutinen estimated that Finland had big structural problems in opening the game, when, for example, the distances between the players were too long.

– It caused balls to be lost in dangerous places in their own area, and Finland’s attacks were really short. When there is not enough ball play of your own, the pressure on the defense increases. Finland definitely needs breathing breaks through its own ball control.

3. Short moments within the game

For Finland, the most important thing in the match against Denmark is that the defensive block stays tight. The head coach Markku Kanervan during the Huhkajie’s success has been based on it.

Expert Nuutinen believes that if the defensive game works, Huuhkajat can even control the match – at least momentarily. Then the team doesn’t have to settle for just defending their goal. But if Denmark takes control of the ball sovereignly, Finland must use its short moments in the game effectively.

– Of course it suits Finland, because the team has speed and dangerous players in its attack. Those places of attack must be used more effectively than, for example, against Kazakhstan, when Finland was able to attack a lot in large spaces, but the final solutions were weak.

Denmark have had problems with quick counter-attacks during these qualifiers. For example, Finland’s goal in the away match showed that sometimes there are quite special communication breaks in Denmark’s defense.

According to the news, the Danish defenders play aggressively and sometimes leave their position. Among other things Simon Kjaer detaches far from its own space. In addition, the team has a few question marks downstairs, such as the goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichelwho doesn’t have a lot of feel for the game.

– Goals have also been scored against Denmark in these qualifiers, even though the team has clearly been the number one country in this group in terms of play. Denmark have got less points than they might have deserved, but that’s because they defend individual moments really badly.

Of course, when talking about Finland’s clean sheets, you can’t forget the Huuhkajie’s number one goalkeeper Lukas Hradeckya.

– Finland has a world-class goalkeeper. For example, Northern Ireland and Slovenia were able to create chances against Finland, but that’s when Hradecky emerged. He has been the guarantor of zero games in difficult moments.