Finnish women footballers enjoy reasonable good fortune in draw for 2011 World Cup

Qualifying group includes Italy and Portugal

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Finland's national women's football team can consider themselves fairly fortunate after the draw was made on Tuesday for the UEFA qualifying groups for the 2011 World Cup, to be played in Germany.
      The Finns were placed in the same group as Italy, Portugal, Slovenia, and Armenia on the long road to a place in the finals. Qualifying matches begin in September, after the European Championships are completed.
     
Each group-winner from the eight UEFA qualifying groups will go forward to a play-off over two legs to determine which four nations go forward to the finals.
      The four losers in the play-off games will then play among themselves to determine which nation faces a representative from CONCACAF (the football federation of North & Central America and the Caribbean) for one further place at the finals.
      In other words, aside from the hosts Germany, who qualify automatically, the finals will feature either four or five more European countries.
     
The head coach of the women's squad Michael Käld was fairly well satisfied after the draw, in which the Finns were in Pot B, the second basket of countries.
      "An interesting group. Of the top-seeded countries we could have got, Italy suits us fine", wrote Käld on the Finnish FA's website. "Even if we were to win the group, then there is no guarantee of a place in the finals. But we have every chance."
     
Finland will start the qualification process with an away fixture against the relative minnows of Armenia on September 19th, just nine days after the final match of the UEFA European Championships, which are being held in Finland, and at which the Finns and eleven other countries - including Italy, who are currently ranked 12th in the world and 7th in Europe, while the Finns are 17th and 12th - will be competing.
      In October, Finland plays further away games against Slovenia and Portugal, before a return encounter with Armenia at home on November 21st.
      In 2010, the campaign continues with a visit to Italy in April, followed by a string of home matches against Portugal, Italy, and Slovenia in June and August.
     
The finals of the FIFA Women's World Cup will be played in Germany from 26.6. to 16.7.2011.
      Finland famously made it to the semi-final stage of the 2005 European Championships in England, but naturally have not been involved in qualification for this summer's home tournament.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Germany 4 Finland 1: Finnish women beaten by World No.1 at European Championships (16.6.2005)

Links:
  FIFA Women´s World Cup 2011
  UEFA Women´s Euro 2009
  Finland National Women´s Football Team (Wikipedia)

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