Urheilu followed the decisive EC qualifying match in this article.
– Ugh! It’s a good gang. A magical group, how did you manage that job again today. As it should be. I’m speechless.
That’s how the very happy Pikkuhuahkajie head coach said Mika Lehkosuo in an interview after the battle in Stavanger, Norway had ended.
It ended with a 2–1 victory for Norway, but the rest was cosmetic, as Finland had won the first leg in Tampere by an even confusing 5–1. Thus, the Finnish U21 national team claimed a place in next summer’s European Championships with a combined score of 6–3.
The Lehkosuo project has now lasted more than 600 days. There have been so many players in that period that the head coach didn’t have time to praise everyone, even if he wanted to.
– Yeah, quite an insane gang together.
– About 60 players have participated, of which approximately 40 have been on the field in the qualifying games. 15 background people, while some of them changed along the way. A really big gang has been doing this to our culture, our way of playing, our joint activities.
Again
So far, Finland played its only time in the men’s U21 age group championships, when Sweden hosted the European Championships in 2009.
At that time, there were only eight countries in the Games, and the Pikkuhuuhkajat was the jumbo of its wild group after England, Germany and Spain. In the final of the tournament, Germany beat England.
At that time, Finland was the head coach Markku Kanervaand the team later included members of the Huuhkaj team, such as Tim Sparv, Jukka Raitala, Perparim Hetemaj, Kasper Hämäläinen and Teemu Pukki.
Since then, Finland has practically not been anywhere near the site of the competition, although the competition first expanded to 12 countries for 2017 and then to 16 countries for 2021. The competition is held every other year.
The closest Finland got to the 2015 Games was when it was second in its qualifying group, but in the end, in the comparison of the best group runners-up, Finland missed the Games by more points.
A solid show
Now Pikkuhuuhkajat did it, Mika Lehkosuo, who started as head coach at the end of 2022, returned from Norway.
The outright place in the competition and the group win were in the cards, but Switzerland scored a 1-1 equalizer in extra time in Lucerne in October.
In the end, Romania won the group, but Finland left behind Switzerland, Albania, Montenegro and Albania. It brought a place in the EC further qualification, where Norway was drawn as the opponent.
The first leg of the further qualification on Friday in Tampere was an amazing show. Even though Norway kept Finland at bay at times, Little Huuhkajat did what Huuhkajat hasn’t been able to do in ages – put the ball in the goal.
The 5–1 knockout provided great starting points for Stavanger for the second leg. However, immediately after the fireworks in Tampere, the players emphasized in interviews that if Finland can hit five in one match, Norway can too.
The young Finns really showed their coolness, equanimity and trust in Lehkosuo’s principles. They include, for example, iron-clad protection of one’s penalty area.
Although Norway pressured the opening period, Finland had no problem. He took care of the rest Lucas Bergströma 205-centimetre forward making his career in the Chelsea organization, who made a couple of top saves.
In the second period, Finland put the last nail in the coffin. Nicely played short corner kick Leo Walta served and Casper Terho shook the ball in with power from the front corner.
Shortly after this Tony Miettinenwho played a brilliant match as central defender, annoyed Norway Seedy Jatta appropriately tearing. The Sturm Graz attacker got up, pushed Miettis with his forehead and deservedly got sent off.
When there were 80 minutes on the Game Clock, the Pikkuhuahkajie deck spread. Joel Mvuka was able to finish in the middle of several Finnish players, but the reduction in total goals to 2–6 did not sway the emotions on the field much anymore. And not even the fact that Norway scored another one and won the second leg.
– We had good momentum in that moment (beginning of the second period). The goal was scored, still a red card on it. It felt like it was game over. In the end, Norway managed to score a few goals, but it was cosmetic. It doesn’t matter, Lehkosuo said.