On Saturday night, the Finnish national football team suffered a very significant defeat in terms of European Championship dreams as a guest of Slovenia. The EC competition place is no longer in Huuhkajie’s own hands.
Midfielder of Huahkaji, played the first half Rasmus Schuller spoke of disappointment after the 0–3 defeat.
– We had our shoulders up when we started playing, and we weren’t ready to play for one reason or another. I can’t say why, but it showed in our playing. Eleven players must want to make a difference on the field (to win). Now I don’t know if we had any players like that.
In Schüller’s opinion, Huuhkajat made it difficult for each other to play on their own – unlike the home team.
– Slovenia played together, and they wanted the ball and helped each other better. When the field was in that (bad) condition, the ball was mostly “not in anyone’s possession”. Back then, Slovenia always occupied the areas where the ball dropped, taking control of the game that way, explained Schüller.
The head coach Markku Kanervan the credit man sarcastically stated that everyone saw on Saturday how miserable Finland’s first half was.
– It is difficult to play the full 90 minutes when you are 0–2 down. In this case, you make the game quite comfortable for the opponent. We must now understand what went wrong, Schüller insisted.
Five points from the last three games from the final schedule are enough for Slovenia to qualify for the European Championships. Even a loss in Denmark is no longer a disaster for Slovenia, but it has to lose points in the second game to clinch its place in the competition.
In the qualifiers, Slovenia will face Northern Ireland away (17.10.), Denmark away (17.11.) and Kazakhstan (20.11.) at home in the final round.
– Slovenia does not have the easiest final program. You just have to believe that they will lose points and at the same time you have to take care of the rest of the games yourself. The last time I qualified for the European Championship with 18 points, it’s not over yet, even though it got harder, thought Schüller.
Huuhkajat next plays next Tuesday against Kazakhstan (17.10.) at the Olympic Stadium and finally at home against Northern Ireland (17.11.) and away against San Marino (20.11.).
Teemu Pukki was also saddened by the poor Halftime
Teemu Pukki at first, he couldn’t remember when Huuhkaji would have had such a difficult time, as was seen in the opening half of the Slovenia game.
– We’ll probably go there (with the Huuhkajie’s bad luck) to the away game in Bosnia in the last qualifiers, from which we went to the European Championship anyway, Pukki, who played full minutes, had a flop halftime.
Almost to the day four years ago, on October 12, 2019, Finland was crushed by a 1–4 defeat in Zenica, but those European Championship qualifiers ended in a historic triumph for the Finns.
Slovenian head coach Matjaz Kek stated at an international press conference that the home team did not assume in advance that “Finland would break like that”.
Pukki regretted that Finland did not start the game in the first half.
– We were chasing the opponent in almost every matter. The performance of the half is a bit embarrassing. We tried to flirt with each other, but for some reason it didn’t start.
During the break, Huuhkajie’s players were disappointed and quiet in the locker room at first, according to Puki.
– After the initial silence, we tried to translate and emphasize that there are still 45 minutes of play ahead. The second half – especially the beginning – was pretty good from us. I had to make changes when it was so difficult.
Joel Pohjanpalon and By Daniel Håkans the entrance cheered up Finland’s attacking game. Pukki was also more lively on the field after that, but the chances did not turn into goals.
– If we had scored goals from places, we could have ended the small squeeze. However, Slovenia was better, admitted Pukki.
Pukki started the qualifiers efficiently and had great performances in the first four EC qualifying games – one goal and four assists. However, the last three qualifying matches have gone without a hit or goal assist from 38 A international goal scorers.
Slovenia and Finland have three matches left. Five points are enough for Slovenia to keep Finland behind them.
Slovenia still faces Northern Ireland, Denmark and Kazakhstan. Slovenia can therefore afford to lose to Denmark.
Finland still faces Kazakhstan, Northern Ireland and San Marino.
Today, on Saturday evening, Denmark will face Kazakhstan. Then Denmark face San Marino, Slovenia and Northern Ireland.
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
10.9. Finland–Denmark 0–1
14.10. Slovenia–Finland 3–0
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.