The Finnish men’s national football team started qualifying for the European Championship final tournament to be played in Germany next year. Denmark was tougher than Huuhkaj with a score of 3–1 at the sold-out Copenhagen Parken.
Having become a Danish comet, he put together a hat trick Rasmus Höjlund was too much for Finland’s defense.
– Of course it’s sad. Had all the ingredients for a point, even a win. A real shame. At 80 minutes it was still 1-1, we should have got a point, said the Finnish goalscorer Oliver Antman.
The head coach Markku Kanerva seemed disappointed after the struggle.
– Denmark was strong, as you might expect. Okay, we got into the game, levels. There was a certain Rasmus Höjlund, who was in a pretty good mood today. The team is disappointed, it did its best. We fought and Luke (Hradecky) made a couple of good saves, stated Kanerva.
Denmark experienced a setback at the beginning of the match when Barcelona’s topper Andreas Christensen hurt his leg in a seemingly harmless situation and had to be replaced. However, it didn’t slow down Denmark’s play, who just three minutes later scored the opening goal from practically the second spot of the match.
Winger by Alexander Bah a precise and low cross from the right found Rasmus Höjlund in front of the goal, who converted from close range – the Finnish champions by Robert Ivanov and Leo Väisänen between – the home team’s lead in the 21st minute.
– Cold water on the neck after Finland’s positive start. Nice centering and finishing, but Ivanov’s positioning was also unnecessary in front of the front post – I’d rather be closer to Väisä and the dangerous area, ‘s football expert Jonne Kunnas take note.
Finland’s cheerful start backfired in the opening half, because after the goal, Denmark took strong control of the game and blocked Finland’s quarterback, and Huuhkajat could no longer attack with the ball even for a moment longer.
In overtime of first half extra time Robin Lod had to direct the ball into his own goal, but Lukas Hradecky’s brilliant stretch saved Finland from another setback.
– Can’t be satisfied when one goal was conceded, which was defended very poorly. We were able to keep the Danes out of shape. The situations they got were basically self-inflicted, analyzed the Finnish coach Mika Nurmela.
Antman was not mistaken, Höjlund became a hero
Coach Markku Kanerva got a reason to be happy in the second half, when a quick and surprising counterattack brought a handsome combination to the end of the equalizing goal at 1-1 in the 54th minute of the match.
Hradecky opened the ball in the center circle For Joel Pohjanpalowho immediately directed the ball into the empty space for the runner For Teemu Puki. Norwich’s attacking star found Oliver Antman, who cut in from the left with a perfectly measured pass. The 21-year-old winger showed a confident finish at the scene. For Antman, the national team goal was already the third of his career in the four matches he played.
Luottovahti Hradecky kept Finland upright after the equalizing goal, when Denmark switched on a big gear and rolled dangerously towards Huuhkajie’s goal.
Denmark’s goal scorer Höjlund escaped with a clean drive, but Hradecky made a magical save with his feet in the 62nd minute. In the very next minute, a winger Joakim Mähle shook the game device through Hradecky’s keys to the top bar of Finland. Höjlund tried to take the lead with his header from a few meters out in the 69th minute, but once again Hradecky made an incredible reaction save in a tight situation.
Twenty minutes before the end, Finland replaced a fresh force on the field, when Lodin replaced him in the midfield Marcus Forssinjured by Richard Jensen HJK’s 22-year-old defender Tuomas Ollila and Antman’s Anssi Suhonen.
Special situation gaming finally emerged as a solution. Denmark’s corner kick was sent in by Bah, who scored the opening goal. Nikolai Alho put his head in between where the ball floated to the back post. Substitute player Jonas Wind headed the ball from the back post in front of the goal, where Höjlund rushed greedily and crushed his second of the night in the 82nd minute.
At the end of the match, in time 90+3, goal-hungry Höjlund sealed Denmark’s 3-1 victory with his hat trick.
Antman has come rushing to Huuhkaji, and he didn’t leave to be humbled after his goal. As you don’t have to on these screens.
– I think it could have been possible to keep more of the ball and get chances through that. Denmark is a really good team. An okay game, but it could have been much better. I’m in a good mood. Yes, it feels like I always score when I go on the pitch.
‘s expert Jonne Kunnas saw that the result corresponded to the events of the game.
– Of course, it’s sad from Finland’s point of view, since we were locked in a point for a long time. Denmark was so strong in its own attacking and ball functions that it was only a matter of time before the pressure was too great, Kunnas confirmed.
Familiar problems were noticeable in Finland.
– For Finland, it is still difficult to defend our own territory, boxing. It’s too easy to lose the opponent’s player, notes Kunnas.
Kanerva comments on the problem areas of Finland’s defense in many words.
– Football is such a game that it is eleven against eleven, but the playing of individuals plays a very decisive role, of course. The way to compensate for that is with team play, to get support for the presser and make it easier to play defensively. Not necessarily always successful today, snorted the Huuhkaja pilot.
Huuhkajat qualifies for the 2024 EC final tournament in Germany in qualifying group H with Denmark, Slovenia, Kazakhstan, Northern Ireland and San Marino. Slovenia opened the qualifiers with a 2-1 away win over Kazakhstan, and Northern Ireland, Finland’s opponent on Sunday, beat San Marino 2-0.
– This was the first game of the qualifiers. Now let’s analyze this and go get points from Northern Ireland, hopefully three, Kanerva decided.
The ten group winners and the ten group runners-up of the EC qualifiers advance directly to the final tournament. In addition, three teams will enter the tournament through the play-offs to be played in March 2024.
BLOCK H, COPENHAGEN 23.3.
Denmark–Finland 3–1 (1–0)
1–0 Höjlund 21.
1–1 Antman 54.
2–1 Höjlund 82.
3–1 Höjlund 90+3
Finland’s opening team:
1 Hradecky (C)
17 Alho
3 R Jensen 74. -> Tuomas Ollila
4 Ivanov
2 L Väisänen
18 Antman 72. -> Anssi Suhonen
6 Chamber
14 Kairine
8 Lod 74. -> Marcus Forss
20 Bottom fire
10 Buck
QUALIFYING MATCHES:
23.3. Denmark–Finland 3–1 (1-0)
26.3. P-Ireland–Finland 21.45 TV2
16.6. Finland–Slovenia 19.00
19.6. Finland–San Marino 19.00
7.9. Kazakhstan–Finland 17.00
10.9. Finland–Denmark 19.00
14.10. Slovenia–Finland 19.00
17.10. Finland–Kazakhstan 19.00
17.11. Finland–P-Ireland 19.00
20.11. San Marino–Finland 21.45