The match was followed moment by moment in this article.
The head coach of Huahkaji Markku Kanerva admitted the dull situation after the match: Wales managed to play exactly as Finland expected.
– The scoreboard says it: four own and one was done. It wasn’t enough for anything.
The beginnings of the periods were catastrophic for Finland, and Finland did not get enough dangerous scoring opportunities. Wales defended effectively, and Kanerva could not say what could have worked against Wales in Finland’s game.
– They showed their superiority even on an individual level. The Welsh players play in tough leagues and we knew that we would be required to play a key game. Unfortunately, we couldn’t do that, Kanerva said and noted that Wales’ game was by no means a surprise.
– They played exactly as we had scouted. As far as possible, they try to get behind and create pressure.
According to Kanerva, Finland also failed in defending its own box. The players lost the main balls and failed to guard, and Wales got to punish.
Next Tuesday, Finland will play an international match against Estonia, which lost its own EC qualifying match to Poland 1–5. The team will try to wash its face in this match and at the same time start preparing for the Nations League matches.
– Of course we want to show and raise the level in front of the home crowd. I believe that we want to get back to winning ways with the players.
Pukki thought about the continuation of his National Team career
Finland’s goal scorer in the match was once again a familiar name: Teemu Pukki. Pukki was so disappointed after the match that he couldn’t properly analyze the match. However, he stated directly that Finland fell at the feet of Wales and the home team was better this time.
Pukki admitted that he had already thought about ending his national team career.
– At some point I wondered if these qualifiers would be the last, but there is still fire to be had. I’ll be in the League of Nations if I’m chosen. It is such a great honor to represent Finland. Hopefully there will be good games and we will get a new rise with Suomi-futis, Pukki said.
The team captain was also on the same lines Lukas Hradecky. The goalkeeper, who is having a wonderful season in the Bundesliga, would have liked to play in the European Championships in Germany.
– Still salt in the wounds, but it doesn’t matter where the games are played. However, I am proud and honored that I have been able to represent Finland once at the Games. I hope I will be included again.
In Hradecky’s opinion, Finland was too harmless on the offensive end, and even though the team had practiced special situation goals, this time the ball bounced to the opponent.
– Somewhat too blunt a result. We weren’t that bad, but the better team went on, Hradecky said and assured that he wasn’t fazed by the opponent’s lightning goals.
– We continued and believed. We tried everything, no desire or otherwise can be criticized. Football is a brutal game and today the better team won. This time this was enough, now towards new dreams.
This is how the match went
The match started disastrously for Finland, as Wales already took a 1–0 lead in the third minute of the game. Harry Wilson played himself free and shot. Lukas Hradecky saved, but David Brooks was the first to catch the loose ball and put it into the empty net with a volley.
After Wales took the lead, Finland had a few good places, but Danny Ward’s the goal guarded remained clean. Finland had a strong possession of the ball, but Wales’ counterattacks were constantly dangerous.
Instead, in the 38th minute, Finland’s head rang again when Wales received a free kick. Harry Wilson moved the ball with a small touch of the sole of his foot For Neco Williams and his stylish kick pushed the ball irresistibly into the upper right corner of the Finnish goal.
Huuhkajat managed to score a locker goal at the very end of the first period. Nikolai Alhon vertical feed found Joel Pohjanpalon through Teemu Puk, who reduced the match to 1–2.
The beginning of the second period was just as miserable for Finland as the first. In the 47th minute, Wales scored a 3–1 goal Miro Tenhon from a lateral free kick caused by a foul. The header went to David Brooks, whose shot missed, but the ball bounced To Brennan Johnson to the rear post. Johnson steered the ball into the void.
In the 79th minute of the match Ben Davies got the ball behind Hradecky’s back for the fourth time in a special situation, but it was rejected for offside after VAR review, because a Welsh player in an offside position interfered with Hradecky’s save attempt.
Seven minutes later Daniel James took the ball from Miro Tenho, passed Hradecky and passed Wales to a 4–1 lead.