Teemu Pukki “tactics” against the harsh time difference during the extremely important EC qualifying match – EPN’s expert flashed a radical solution

Teemu Pukki assures that he is not tired, but Urheilu’s experts fear that Pukki’s workload will become too heavy.

Finland will meet Kazakhstan in the European football qualifying match on Thursday at 17:00 in Astana. The live broadcast of the match starts on TV2 and Areena at 16:30.

The Finnish men’s national football team is fighting for the all-important European Championship qualifying points this week, when they face Kazakhstan on the away field on Thursday and Denmark in the home match on Sunday.

Playing for Minnesota United’s MLS team Teemu Pukki broke his long goalless streak just before the national team’s upcoming matches. Pukki hit in two consecutive matches and had important successes. Pukki assures that he is not tired, even though the time difference between Astana and Minnesota is no less than 13 hours.

– I have heard that it is difficult to come this way, but somehow I was able to sleep well. I still tried to tactic and leave the first night’s sleep for less, so that I would be tired here (Astana). I felt that I got into this Kazakh rhythm well, Pukki told Urheilu.

– It wasn’t as bad as I thought it could be. And there are not too many international matches like this, in the fall the pace is tighter, Pukki said.

Pukki, who moved to Minnesota’s MLS team in the summer, admits that the first months have been about applying.

– Getting used to a new team and everything always takes time. I was by no means in good shape when I went there (Minnesota). It took time, but now I’m starting to get in top shape, Pukki guessed.

Minnesota’s teammates have started to realize how to use Pukki in the best way.

– Especially in the last matches, there have been good passes. There were a few games where there were no seats, but in the last matches the atmosphere has looked really good, Pukki praised.

Should Buck be laid to rest in Kazakhstan?

No matter what Pukki himself says, it is clear that the long flight to Kazakhstan and the huge time difference bring their own challenges. Sports expert Antti Pohja weigh in on ‘s new 11 friends football podcast.

– Has Huuhkajie’s coaching management even thought about the possibility that all the bangs would be played for the Denmark match and think that Kazakhstan could be taken care of even without Pukki. So we would take a conscious risk, Pohja said.

Pohja expressed his fear that Pukki will be exhausted even before the match against Denmark.

– If Pukki plays 90 minutes on the artificial turf in Kazakhstan and flies from there to Helsinki, how much energy does he have left for the Denmark match, Pohja asked.

Football expert Miika Nuutinen emphasized that it is not meaningful for Pukki to play full minutes in both Huuhkajie’s matches. There are now plenty of options in the Huhkaki attack. Joel Pohjanpalo, Oliver Antman, Daniel Håkans and Benjamin Källman are all valid options for the field.

– This is an interesting question, because Finland now has options. Now if only Huuhkaji had the chance to give Puki a rest and make sure that Teemu is fresh when he is most needed, Nuutinen pointed out.

The head coach of Huahkaji Markku Kanerva did not take a direct stand on Puki’s possible rest. According to Kanerva, each player’s state of alertness is monitored in daily surveys.

– We think about and monitor each player’s readiness so that we know how to load the players appropriately. We will know the situation of each player on Thursday morning when we make our next survey to the players, Kanerva said.