Exactly what was wanted. The Finnish men’s national football team did not let Northern Ireland, who came as guests, back at the Olympic Stadium on Friday night.
Huuhkajat scored four goals in front of more than 28,000 spectators and kept a clean sheet. The successful 4–0 victory was exactly the desired turn in the course that the Finnish football public had almost prayed for from Huuhkaj after the weak qualifying window in October.
Read more: Comment: “Finland, Finland, the devil!” – the fireworks on a frosty night were exactly what Huuhkajat was missing
The visiting team Northern Ireland was not a world-class opponent in the November weather. However, the weak performance of the British Islanders does not take anything away from Finland’s success, says Urheilu’s expert Miika Nuutinen.
– This was a sovereign and intact home performance from Finland. The team definitely washed their faces in front of the big home crowd. Exactly what was expected of it. It was also visible in the atmosphere, Nuutinen states.
Nuutinen tells three things about the match, which helped Finland increase their hopes for a possible European Championship place.
1. The return of the radar pair – Teemu Pukki cheered up Robin Lodi
Finland’s men’s national team’s all-time top scorer Teemu Pukki hasn’t played the best football in Huuhkaj in recent windows. Pukki, who moved to North America in the summer, has been even quiet, even subdued in Finland’s jersey.
On Friday, you could see Pukki cheered up, despite the fact that he doesn’t really have a sense of the game after the end of his season. Recovered from his injury Robin Lod is statistically an important pair of radars for Puki, which was immediately visible on the field today.
– Even though the game seemed to be partially over when they entered the field, their old chemistry was immediately palpable, Nuutinen begins.
– Pukki especially has missed Lodi, at least a player like him. The kind that can make breaking passes to him. He looked more cheerful than ever. That’s an excellent thing for Huhkaj.
Nuutinen also emphasizes that Finland will be served even more when the duo constantly returns to better playing condition. Pukki and Lod have still been able to train together for a long time, first at Minnesota United and after the end of that season in Finland.
2. The new stone legs of the opening assembly
When we look at who of the Huuhkajis looked the best on the field, the answer is sure to be quick for many.
Daniel Håkans excelled in his role as a left winger. The lightning-fast Vålerenga winger was a constant challenge for Northern Ireland’s defenders, who were unable to match his speed and agility on the ball. Especially played as a right full-back for the visitors Eoin Toal was constantly in trouble with Håkans.
Nuutinen says that this match at the latest made Håkans one of the permanent names in Finland’s starting line-up.
– He now has so many successes under the Finnish shirt. That is why it seems that he is already establishing his place in the opening. He is constantly dangerous.
Another name that Nuutinen raises for a similar situation is versatile Matti Peltola.
Peltola, who played as a left fullback, formed a very good tandem with Håkans. Peltola’s vertical passes and the ability to play together in the midfield Glen Kamaran and by Rasmus Schüller and helped a lot when attacking Finland.
The diamond was a vertical ball given by Peltola to Teemu Puki, from which Finland scored its wonderful fourth goal.
– The dynamics of Håkans, Kamara and Peltola on the left side were excellent. They found each other very elegantly. For example, Finland was at its most dangerous when it was able to play straight for Håkans with balls behind the line. Both Peltola and Kamara were able to make those passes, Nuutinen reflects.
3. The Huhkajat players broke free and made an important change
Has Finland’s game-like course, which went in a weak direction, now reversed? Can we now hope for a place in the European Championships from the further qualifiers?
According to the news, the Northern Ireland match was at least a clear turn for the better. You could also sense part of it from the players’ body language, where the change was very clear.
– Before the game, there was a lot of talk about the fact that Finland needs to find its confidence back in the game after the disastrous performances. Everyone could see it now. For example With Robert Ivanov today was even such a crazy day that nothing was left of self-confidence today, Nuutinen laughs.
Toppari Ivanov’s game showed a certain kind of fun. Ivanov bullied the opponent’s attackers by constantly staying on the skin and seeking contact before touching the ball. In the direction of attack, he performed three times ups that caused noise in the stands, cooling from the defense to the spearhead of Finland’s attack.
Expert Nuutinen also mentions that, just like the players, the Finnish coaching staff managed to make a change for the better against Northern Ireland.
– The performance was excellent from the whole team. The head coach Markku Kanervan the coaching staff has received its fair share of criticism. Today, Finland was actually able to be on top of the game all the time, he says.
It happened with little reactions during the game. Finland made the necessary changes before and during the match. The elections were successful.
– Finland, for example, now made the substitutions early and was able to change their system well from a 4–3–3 grouping to a 4–4–2 format. It was especially important to get an intact whole from this game, and at no point did Northern Ireland get on top of the game.
– At least it can be said that thanks to this match, we got something for the next games and beyond that towards the European Championship qualifiers, which can be built on in the future, Nuutinen concludes.
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See the summary of the Finland–Northern Ireland match below.
Denmark–Finland 3–1
Northern Ireland–Finland 0–1
Finland–Slovenia 2–0
Finland–San Marino 6–0
Kazakhstan–Finland 0–1
Finland–Denmark 0–1
Slovenia–Finland 3–0
Finland–Kazakhstan 1–2
Finland–Northern Ireland 4–0
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.