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 told about their preparation for the match against Denmark on Saturday. The head coach was interviewed at the press conference and by the media Markku Kanervathe attacker Teemu Pukki as well as the goalkeeper, the captain Lukas Hradecky.
They were asked, among other things, about the stress of the time difference brought by traveling to Kazakhstan. The Finnish team left Astana immediately after the match on a night flight to Helsinki. Pukki admitted that the flight was long, but the team has nevertheless recovered well from Thursday’s match.
– Of course, it is not the best possible scenario to play on Thursday in Kazakhstan and on Sunday in Finland. The flight is, of course… for certain reasons, you can’t fly from Kazakhstan directly to Finland, but you have to do a small tour in Europe, the attacker said at the press conference.
Hradecky stated that all other teams also have to travel to Kazakhstan, so Huuhkajat does not make a big deal about it.
– We had a good sauna session yesterday, I drank beer and slept for 12 hours, so I’m ready. The win made the journey much easier, it was vital and we are ready, the goalkeeper summed up.
The meeting of the top teams
All three stated that Denmark is probably the best team in the group. For example, head coach Kanerva described that Denmark has several skilled top players in the best leagues in Europe.
– If we have much better goal chances than Denmark, and if we dominate the match, a draw would be disappointing. A lot depends on how the match goes. I wouldn’t be very disappointed with a draw, let’s say it like that, Kanerva said.
Pukki estimates that Finland’s situation in the group is currently good. Huhkaji are not obliged to win on Sunday, although the team is aiming for three points, he points out.
Hradecky once again shook directly that he would be satisfied with one point, i.e. a draw against Denmark.
– Even against Kazakhstan, we would have been satisfied with a point, but we managed to win. Tomorrow the game will be 0–0 or 1–1 for a long time. We are not panicking, we are trying to control the match and we are 100% satisfied with the score, he formulated at the press conference.
Kanerva told Urheilu that in advance the situation is ideal when Finland meets Denmark on their home field. At the start of the national team break, Finland was at the top of the group, but tied with second-placed Kazakhstan. After Thursday’s matches, Denmark is second in the group.
– The second top fight of this season. Hopefully, the series situation will look the same after this match, so we will be at the top of the group when we approach the October games.
The head coach described that Denmark used a few different formations during the qualifiers, such as 4–3–3 and 3–4–3. However, according to him, the structure of the team’s offensive game is quite similar regardless of how Denmark starts the match. The team is trying to prepare for that, Kanerva said.
Will Höjlund play?
One burning question before the Denmark match has been the striker Ramus Höjlund game condition. The Dane, who scored three goals in Finland’s net in the opening of the European Championship qualifiers, returned to the playing fields on Sunday last week after an injury. Höjlund played 24 minutes when Manchester United, whom he represented, lost to Arsenal 1–3 in the English Premier League. When Denmark won 4–0 against San Marino, he played 33 minutes.
– You will probably ask next, what did Höjlund do – will he play or not? That’s the big question mark as to how well he is in shape. All the time he gets more playing minutes and now he already played against San Marino. But will he open against us? Pretty sure he will be seen on the field at least at some point, Kanerva answered to himself.
Lukas Hradecky reminded that Denmark has a lot of width. He separately mentioned the one who represents Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga and is in top form By Jonas Wind as well as the Leipzig striker by Yussuf Poulsen.
When Teemu Puk arrived for the interview, Hradecky gave an interview in Danish next to him. Both Pukki and Hradecky have played in the Danish Bröndby. Before that, Hradecky played several seasons in the Danish club Esbjerg.
Would Puki do an interview in Danish?
– No, I don’t have the head of the tongue like Luke. Great to see that it works out. I calculated that he could speak many languages, quite a few.
The full Olympic Stadium inspires Huuhkaji
The Finland-Denmark match at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium is sold out. Also in June’s matches against Slovenia and San Marino, the stadium was full to the brim. The Huhkajie group says they are excited about the support of the home stand.
– What we experienced in June was amazing. I believe that the atmosphere will be at least similar tomorrow, Kanerva said on Saturday.
– It’s wonderful that there is such a boom around the national team – it has been for some time. Cool to see the stadium full again tomorrow. The support we get from the public is indescribably important to us, Pukki beamed.
– A full Olympic Stadium, a big match and a golden victory can be taken. Basically, there is nothing to lose. I think Denmark is clearly the better team on paper, but fortunately these games are not played on paper. With the help of four wins, we will try to join the next one with the support of the home crowd, Hradecky summed up.
23.3. Denmark–Finland 3 to 1
26.3. Northern Ireland–Finland 0–1
16.6. Finland–Slovenia 2–0
19.6. Finland–San Marino 6–0
7.9. Kazakhstan–Finland 0–1
Sun 10.9. at 19 Finland–Denmark
Sat 14.10. at 19 Slovenia–Finland
Tue 17.10. at 19 Finland–Kazakhstan
Fri 17.11. at 19 Finland–Northern Ireland
Mon 20.11. at 21:45 San Marino–Finland
The best two of the group will qualify for the summer 2024 European Championships, which will be played in Germany.
shows all Huuhkajie’s qualifying matches live.