The expert has never seen better Helmaris – this is what a direct EC competition spot demands | Sport

Finland-Norway EC qualifying match on channels on Friday 12.7. The studio broadcast starts on TV2 and Areena at 18:30, the match starts at 19:00.

The Finnish women’s national football team will play for direct access to the European Championships in qualifying matches against Norway and Italy. Helmarii still have a chance to reach the top two of the qualifying group, which would entitle them to a place in the competition.

Today, Friday, in Turku, the opponent is Norway. In the opening round of the qualifiers, the top country defeated Finland 4–0 on their home field. At that time, Helmarit learned a harsh lesson, especially about playing in the penalty area.

– “Box defense” against Norway is a big challenge, because they have world-class forwards, a defender Joanna Tynnilä to admit to .

‘s expert is on the same lines Hanna Ruohomaa. Norway rushed from the wings and concentrated a lot.

– Even if Norway had Alivoima in the box, they were able to finish strongly and accurately, Ruohomaa times.

After the crushing defeat, Helmarit has improved its defense and the team has allowed only one goal per match. Ruohomaa sees good opportunities in Finland to go directly to the competition venue before the final climax of the rock-hard section. So far, the home field has been a huge asset for Finland.

– On the other side in the away field is Italy, which Finland has already beaten once. Norway lost, but Finland has not yet lost at home, so there is a very exciting climax ahead, Ruohomaa speculates.

We have to learn from the crushing loss

In addition to the two direct competition places, the teams that finish third and fourth in the group advance to the further qualification against teams from the B and C levels. The situation in Finland is clear. Helmarit will lose the chance to go directly to the competition if the team loses to Norway.

The pressure situation is not new for the team. After the away losses to Norway and the Netherlands, Finland was in a situation where they had to succeed in the next match. Both times the team improved and got points. The team also has a thousand-strong home crowd in Turku to support them.

– That’s why Helmarit is definitely looking forward to this match. They have shown mental strength and unyieldingness in losing positions on their home field, so I believe that there is only positive pressure at hand, Ruohomaa estimates.

Fullback Emma Koivisto stresses that in the first match against Norway, in addition to defending the box, defending the wings failed.

– If you can concentrate a lot from the wings, not all situations can be defended in the box, Koivisto sums up to .

In addition, Finland must improve its attacking game from the previous meeting. At that time, for example, the team was not able to take advantage of Koivisto’s climbs in practice at all. Helmarit forced attacks from the center of the field and could not advance to the most dangerous goal-scoring areas.

In the previous qualifying match against the Netherlands, Finland was able to defend aggressively and even control the field events against the big country. In Turku, Finland should be able to do the same.

In the previous qualifying windows, Finland has played an away match first and then improved for the home match. Now it should be successful in the first match. Ruohomaa believes that the Helmarei are now much more ready to face Norway than the qualifying opening.

Norway was Finland’s toughest opponent for a long time, which rose from the B level to the A level of the Nations League. In the qualifying group, Finland has repeatedly faced top countries and also received a lot of data from them.

Finland’s playing with the ball and utilizing the width of the field have been successful in home matches.

– Those are things that have developed during the qualifiers, Ruohomaa sees.

From the home win in Italy, the expert highlights Finland’s physicality. The team was strong in duels, could physically shake the opponent and even be mean.

– Also against Norway, Finland must defend forward, and everyone must participate in the pressing. Thus, Finland can get exploits on the offensive end, Ruohomaa analyzes and mirrors the Dutch draw.

An exceptional home drug

Finland has minor injury concerns before the most important match of the qualifiers. Olga Ahtinen is sick, Katariina Kosola still recovering from an ankle injury and a long-term patient Elli Pikkujämsä is sidelined with a knee injury. Also experienced San Francisco heals minor ailments.

Norway gets a huge reinforcement in its lineup, after being on the sidelines from the previous match against Finland Caroline Graham Hansen is with. The FC Barcelona forward played in Italy matches in the previous qualifying window, but failed to score.

– He is one of the best 1 on 1 players in the world, really fast and technical. You just have to defend against him without prejudice, with strong self-confidence, Tynnilä estimates.

After the win against Finland, Norway has scored a total of one goal in three qualifying matches. In addition to Vaisue’s qualifiers, Norway failed miserably in last year’s World Cup, which ended with a quarter-final loss to Japan for the team.

The support of the home crowd has, on the other hand, propelled the Helmaris to great performances in the qualifiers.

– The Dutch match in Tammela is the best game I’ve ever seen from Helmari, Ruohomaa bursts out.

The players have praised the atmosphere of the competition’s previous home matches. 6,000 tickets have already been sold for Friday’s fight. Ruohomaa compares the drug created by the Helmares to the equivalent of the Huuhkaji.

– In Tammela, there were still supporters at the stadium more than an hour after the end of the match. This has not happened before. The players feel this kind of appreciation and want to give back, Ruohomaa expressed.

Finland-Norway EC qualifying match on channels on Friday 12.7. The studio broadcast starts on TV2 and Areena at 18:30