In Turku, puppies have the opportunity to secure a place in the European Championship qualifiers. Timo Furuholm explains how Pikkuhuuhkajat won the big European Championship qualifier game in Kupittaa last time and what demands that the Finns be able to repeat the trick.
10.6. 13:46 • Updated June 10. 13:57
Turku’s Kupittaa football stadium was in turmoil on the evening of October 2008. The Finnish national team under the age of 21 had jumped into a two-part European Championship qualifier against Austria in the penalty shootout. The winner would go to the 2009 European Championships in Sweden.
A 21-year-old Finnish striker Timo Furuholm excited. In the previous day’s practice, Pori had sunk three goals from the penalty kicks. Coached little pimps Markku Kanerva put Furuholm as Finland’s fifth leader, in the place of the solver.
The Turku Inter striker was finally unable to try. The Finnish field players showed their cold blood when every three of them tripled Tim Sparv, Joni Aho and Aleksander Kokko scored a goal.
The victory was secured by the goalkeeper of Pikkuhuuski Tomi Maanoja. Espoo Honga’s large gate guard was the first to block Marko Stankovicin top shot. The victory was confirmed when Maanoja was stopped Michael Madlin a stroke towards the center of the goal. Underground vents and Spontaneous shout after Stankovic fight (switch to another service) immediately became part of the Finnish football system.
– V *** u I’m fine! The land was roaring.
– It was the most magical of football in my career so far, Furuholm, 34, the current football expert at Sport, recalls.
– I remember that there were a lot of people and the supporters of the Finnish national football team voted. And I especially remember how excruciating it was to wait for my turn. That all the pressure went away when the “Psyche” of the Earth, took the necessary spot.
Finland went to the Games at the time. Now the current U21 age group has a chance to advance to the final tournament in Romania and Georgia next summer.
Finland will face Norway in their final qualifying match on Friday at 6 pm. Coincidentally, the decisive game of the qualifying place will be played again in Kupittaa, Turku.
“He has all the qualities I’ve never had”
One of the core pieces of the Finnish national team under the age of 21 Oliver Antmanilla is to explain the clear reasons why he thinks the Finnish football team should definitely come to Kupittaa again to see Pikkuhuuskaj and the solution game.
– We have a lot of interesting players, we play entertaining football and we are not afraid to try solutions at the offensive head. I would say we are not a “normal Finnish team”, but we do a lot of different things, Antman lists for Sport.
– The number one reason, of course, is that we have a chance to make history and we will win that game, Antman says firmly.
Many of the things the Finnish key player says are very easy to sign. Where the Pikkuhuuskajat of 2008, which included several future A national team players, relied heavily on the interplay and defense that Kanerva later raised in Huuhkaji, the current team is different.
Juha Malisen the head coached team is also cohesive, but has a number of extreme individuals who solve games together with their offensive skills. Finland presses from high and hard, and works hard.
Timo Furuholm also praises today’s offensive players.
– I have to raise it first Naatan Skytta. Personally, I already got my first lesson in the fall of 2019 on how good he is. Interi and I played against Ilves in Tampere. I was even a little annoyed that such a young boy came, put the ball in the west of our midfielders and exhausted our toppers, Furuholm says with a laugh.
Skyttä is a left-footed Finnish midfield engine, whose diverse range of feeds and goal-scoring skills are valuable to Finland. After facing Furuholm, he has since moved to France for Toulouse FC, which will be playing in Ligue 1 next season. Sports expert describes Skytai’s playing as “incredibly digestible”.
– It is easy for me to envy him, he has all the qualities I have never had, Furuholm continues.
Atypical Finnish players?
In addition to Skytä, Antman and Daniel Håkans. The midfielders of FC Nordsjälland and Seinäjoki Football Club boldly challenge their opponents in one-on-one situations and strive for action.
– Håkans has also toned me down before. For example, he, Skyttä and Antman are the new generation of Finnish players. One would think that they are atypical of Finns, but nowadays young people are much more prepared. They are more mature and skilled at that age, Furuholm estimates.
Above all, Finland’s enthusiastic offensive players are served with the support of head coach Malinen. The players have said that Malinen has strongly advised them to use their skills in front of the team.
– Juha has constantly told us that it doesn’t matter if you lose the ball up when you challenge your opponent. He encourages us that if we feel we can get past our opponent, we can take it one-on-one, Oliver Antman opens.
– I like that he supports us and wants us to try something surprising. We have so much speed and skill on this team, so it’s great that we have the freedom to try together and alone. Therefore, the result has been like this in recent matches.
In the last matches, all three of the above players also succeeded in scoring, with Finland taking vital wins from Austria and Azerbaijan.
Furuholm raises the hat on Malinen’s ability to create a favorable atmosphere for players to get the most out of themselves.
– In this way, everyone gives their team their maximum. Everyone comes down really defensively to defend and does it well. Juha Mali is not considered to be the most modern coach in the game, but he has excellent qualities in terms of the players’ spirit. Indeed, in a place like this, they can rise in value to the unpredictable, he estimates.
Pressure situations do not need to be lost twice
Furuholm has a fairly consistent experience of the pressure experienced by today’s young people. Only a win will be enough for Finland on Friday, but in 2008.
The expert himself was able to experience the excitement through the longest formula. Furuholm also says that the excitement for the polka dot competition was also added by the fact that he played in the Austrian goal. Robert Olejnik had blocked his good finish in overtime. Indeed, many things affect how young players and the team operate in a place of pressure.
– You can be mentally ready in advance and create the will to win, but collective self-confidence is formed on the field during the game. If I remember correctly, we were in the locker room in Kupittaa in the evening at halfway down, it was a long way to the European Championships in Malmö. During the second half, however, the necessary dynamics emerged.
According to Furuholm, focusing on the core issues of the game, your own and your opponent’s play provides a good starting point for winning.
What would he advise now to young people who are facing a similar place as he and the Little Drinkers nearly 14 years ago?
– You can always prepare for everything, you can go through things in your mind and in training. Of course, the thing that may but be alive is that there will be failures. There is no need to fail twice, before and after the bet, Furuholm ponders.
At least Oliver Antman has enough faith in the Little Huskies and also in his own work.
– My role on the field is to settle matches and take responsibility at both ends of the field. I could expect more goals from myself at the moment, but I still think they will come against Norway, he anticipates a struggle.
Finland has previously shown against Austria that it can fight for victory even in a tough situation and in pursuit. This has instilled more faith in the team.
– In addition to our team’s playing skills, it tells us about our character. In addition to being able to play football, we have a team of winning types. We have an excellent team spirit, which is why we can beat anyone, Antman describes.
– Of course, we have all believed in our success from the beginning, but that match brought us a chance right in front of us. It showed that we can win all three of our games. And so we are going to do.