Helmarit will play on Friday and Tuesday in the decisive pair of matches of the EC further qualification against Scotland.
On Friday, the Finnish women’s national football team will face Scotland in the opening part of the decisive pair of matches of the EC further qualification in Edinburgh. The live broadcast of the match starts on TV2, Areena and the app at 21:15.
The Finnish women’s national football team faces a tough spot when they face Scotland in the opening part of the European Championship qualifiers on Friday. The preliminaries are extremely even and there is a place in the game for the European Championship in Switzerland to be played in the summer. The second leg will be played next Tuesday in Helsinki.
Scotland, who are on a seven-game winning streak, go into the decisive matches as strong early favorites, but the team’s current winning streak is partly due to the weaker preliminary qualifying group. In the Fifa football ranking, the teams are close, Finland in 26th place and Scotland three places ahead in 23rd place.
The places of the Finnish attack?
During the Scotland match, Finland gathered and trained in Rotterdam, Holland. If the team overcomes the fatigue caused by the extra travel and manages to play the full 90 minutes as a tight team, the chances of a place in the European Championships are very good, Urheilu’s expert predicts Essi Sainio.
In terms of composition, the Finnish team has remained largely the same as in the previous national team match, against Montenegro in October. Considering the ideal composition, however, the team lacks, among other things, two goals scored in the European Championship qualifiers Jutta Rantalasuffering from injury Elli Pikkujämsä and Eva Nyströmwho is suspended for the first leg.
– I have to say that I miss Jutta Rantala even before the match. However, Finland has enough skill, running power, speed. Individual skills have been glimpsed, among other things Oona Siren. He is able to drive, challenge defenders and break them off the line with timely passes, Sainio describes.
At the same time, Sainio expects a bigger role, especially as a defender Joanna from Tynnila.
The last time he performed in Helmarei was in April Katariina Kosola was scheduled to return to national team games after recovering from a persistent ankle problem. However, the Football Association announced on Thursday that Kosola will be on the sidelines for at least Friday’s away game due to illness.
Sainio emphasizes that in the opening part on Friday, it is necessary to reach at least a draw in order to keep the race place realistic. The playoff matches are played without the away goal rule. If the matches in Edinburgh and Helsinki end in a draw, a solution will be sought for a follow-up match.
Scotland’s strong Midfield
As a team, Scotland has shown itself to be good in special situations and there have been successes on a wide scale. The team’s strength is especially in the midfield, where, for example, Real Madrid plays in big clubs Caroline Weir and Chelsea Erin Cuthbert able to control widely.
– Weir is really creative and has a good understanding of the game. Cuthbert is very clever, skilled and good at shooting and twisting, Sainio raises.
Scotland’s attack has diversified over the last three years, the Spanish pilot Pedro Martínez Losan in the era. However, according to Sainio, Finland has the means and players to break the Scottish line.
A close shared history
Scotland is looking for revenge, because in the previous European Championship qualifiers, Finland beat Scotland twice and killed its chances of a place in the competition. The winning goal from that time is still remembered Amanda Rantanen face paint.
Finland has been a thorn in Scotland’s side even after the last qualification. In the summer of 2023, Scotland beat Finland in Tampere 2–1, but in the previous meeting between the teams in February’s Pinatar Cup final, Finland won after a penalty shootout.
The competition spot would be a significant continuation of the European under-21 men’s national team’s European competition spot being secured earlier this month.
– These games are the biggest EC competitions when it comes to the global growth of women’s football. This pair of matches and the competition venue also tell a lot about whether Finland has progressed enough, Sainio emphasizes.
On Friday, the Finnish women’s national football team will face Scotland in the opening part of the decisive pair of matches of the EC further qualification in Edinburgh.
The live broadcast of the match starts on TV2, Areena and the app at 21:15. The second leg between Finland and Scotland will be played next Tuesday, December 3 in Helsinki. will show the match that seals the place in the European Championships starting at 18:50.