Markku Kanerva made a request to the MLS coaches, which was quickly dismissed – he leaked a receipt for Teemu Puki’s goal kick

Huuhkajat will head to the autumn EC qualifiers as the top of the group. Finland will face Kazakhstan and Denmark next week in a tantalizing situation, but the team’s joint preparation time will be very short.

Finland will face Kazakhstan in the fall EC qualifiers on Thursday, September 7. at 5 p.m. and on Danish Sunday 10.9. at 19. will show both matches live on its channels.

The Finnish men’s national football team starts the fall crunch of the European Championship qualifiers in a delicious situation at the top of Group H. The head coach Markku Kanerva today named the Huuhkajat crew for the autumn matches.

Finland will face Kazakhstan in an important away match on Thursday next week with a short preparation time, as the team will only be assembled two days before the match. Kazakhstan is tied with Finland on nine points, so the match will be about big things in terms of the continuation of the qualification.

– The preparation time is really short. We practically have two practices, on Tuesday and Wednesday, before the match. It’s not optimal, but we have to adapt, Kanerva reflected at the Huuhkajie press conference.

Finland has fond memories of Kazakhstan from two years ago, when the team fell twice in the World Cup qualifiers. Now, like Finland, Kazakhstan has already won three qualifying victories, the most impressive being a surprising 3-2 home victory over Denmark.

– Kazakhstan has shown that they have moved forward as a team. It’s an extremely tough home team, but if we can play at the same level as in the World Cup qualifiers (2-0 away win), the job will be done, Kanerva said.

The request for MLS players fell on deaf ears

Huuhkajie’s qualifying team currently has six players who have changed clubs after the qualifying matches in June. The North American MLS league got two more Finns from Europe when the striker Teemu Pukki transferred to Minnesota and Fullback Jere Uronen To Charlotte.

– Flying across the Atlantic has its own challenges with schedules and jet lag. However, it is positive that the players get to play in a good league, Kanerva commented to Urheilu.

Puki’s start at the new club has not been ideal. He has played ten matches and scored one goal in them.

– Teemu has had a place in several goals. I hope he has saved those goals for Huuhkajie’s games, Kanerva advises.

MLS will continue after the summer with a really close pace of matches. Kanerva said that he expressed the wish to the Finns’ MLS coaches that the Finns would no longer be played in next weekend’s matches, but the national team pilot’s wish did not evoke a response.

– We have held negotiations with the clubs, but they did not produce results. For example, Minnesota said they needed Pukki in the weekend game in San Jose, says Kanerva.

Among the MLS players, Huuhkajie is accompanied by the hot Inter Miami Robert Taylorwho has performed well for the Florida team Lionel Messi’s alongside.

– Taylor enjoys playing alongside Messi. While there’s still some Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, yes, there are players in it to have fun with. It has been shown to be effective and I think that Robert’s increased self-confidence will also help Huuhkaji.

Austin defender Leo Vaisänen not yet recovered from his injury to the Huuhkajie trip. of Minnesota Robin Lod is sidelined even longer due to a knee injury.

Forss was recently injured in the League Cup

After the match against Kazakhstan, Finland will face Denmark at their home Olympic Stadium on September 10. The match is fully booked, so Huuhkaji is waiting for the full support of the home crowd, just like in the qualifying games in June.

A striker who plays for Middlesbrough Marcus Forss had to leave the team at the last minute due to an injury in the English League Cup on Tuesday. Kanerva also qualified one A national team debutant, HJK’s 24-year-old winger Kevin Kouassivi-Benissan.

The Huahkajie’s first-timer boasted self-confidence after strong club team performances.

– It feels wonderful, I’ve been chasing this since I was a little boy. We now have really good opportunities, we trust in our own doing, so we are strong, Kouassivi-Benissan said.

Below is the league table before the September matches. The two best in the group will qualify for the European Championship, which will be played in the summer of 2024 in Germany.