The Finnish men’s under-21 team was in trouble against Norway, until they escaped in the last quarter to a 5-1 crushing victory.
15.11. 22:06•Updated 15.11. 22:15
Finland’s under-21 men’s national football team took a handsome 5–1 victory over Norway in the opening match of the European Championship play-off in Tampere.
After just over three minutes of play, Finland took a 2–0 lead, when Leo Walta and Casper Terho succeeded in scoring.
However, after recovering from the initial shock, Norway got into the game and reduced the score to 1-2 before the break. The away team chased an equalizer in the second half and dominated the events on the field.
Then, however, Finland forged three goals in just over five minutes and pressed irresistibly on their way.
The head coach of the team Mika Lehkosuo admitted that Norway put Finland in a tight spot at times.
– It seemed a bit difficult at that moment. Aah, incredible bunch of players. Unfathomable, Lehkosuo says.
According to Lehkosuo, Finland managed to turn the tide of the game when Juho Talvitie was taken to the field Topi Keskinen replaced at the 75th minute.
– He was given a few specific instructions on how to defend. We weren’t able to complete counterattacks before, but when Talvitie came and finished one with a 3-1 goal, it kind of blew us away. We got unbridled energy from that one goal.
Terho radiated work ethic
Talvitie scored 3-1 after being on the field for a couple of minutes. A heavy shot from a couple of dozen meters sank handsomely into the Norwegian goal. The Finnish promise said that the solution came from the spine.
– They’ve been trained and then when it happens, it’s a great thing, but there’s not much time to think about anything. Talvitie described.
Finished the 2–0 goal that was the winning goal Casper Terho was very satisfied with the result. Terho praised Finland’s united play, when Norway created pressure and aimed for the equalizing goal.
– Sometimes you have to make sacrifices and everyone defends down low, but you can see that we are doing a hell of a job, Terho said.
Terho does not yet declare the European Championship place certain, even if Norway has to work miracles in the second leg, which will be played on Tuesday in Norway.
– The game is open and anything can happen. Good recovery and focus on the next match. We have seen in such big games that anything can happen.
A united team
Naatan Skytt did the preparatory work for the 2–0 hit and finished the 4–1 himself by flicking the ball into the net from a corner kick. Tomas Galvez finished the Final Readings a moment later.
– An unforgettable evening for sure for everyone. There were moments in the game when we were a bit under sail, but I think maturely we took a bit lower and let them spin. Then when we got counterattacks, we vaccinated against them, Skyttä said.
Skytta thinks that at the end of the game, the Little Scammers got into some kind of flow state, where everything worked out. Finland did not go to secure in a 3–1 situation.
– If the game is going, why not attack. However, this is a two-part match. If we have room to do more, we will do more. It will help us in the future. However, I had to keep my composure so that I didn’t go too far.
Pikkhuuhkajat is a united team that has been playing together for a long time and knows each other’s ways on the field.
– It starts with our way of playing, which we have been working on during these qualifiers. It is so clear to all players, how everyone wants to move and how they must move. Then it’s easy to trust what the guy does on the field.
Despite the 5–1 win, Skyttä also goes to Tuesday’s match with a humble mind. That’s when it will be decided whether Finland will qualify for the European Championships next summer.
– If we can score this many goals in a game, Norway can do it too. You have to keep a cool head and make sensible decisions in the next game so you don’t lose this one.