Finnish women secure place in 2005 UEFA European Championships

A little bit of Finnish footballing history as Russians go down 3-1 in Moscow

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Finland’s women footballers stole all the attention on Wednesday, when they became the first Finnish senior side (of either sex) ever to reach the finals of a major tournament. A 3-1 victory in Moscow over Russia meant they progressed 4-1 on aggregate to become one of the eight teams who will play for the UEFA European Women’s Championship in England next summer.
      Finland had finished as one of the two best 3rd-placed teams in the qualification groups, and were thus obliged to play off for a shot at the finals. They were paired with Russia, who had been runners-up to France in their respective group, having ominously also beaten the French 5-2 on their own soil not long ago.
      The Russians had earlier stood in the way of Finnish progression to the 1999 Women’s World Cup, but this time around there was no doubt which team deserved a place in January’s draw in Manchester.
     
The Finns went into Wednesday’s game as narrow favourities, having nullified the feared Russian attack in last Saturday’s 1-0 win at home, in Pietarsaari. Even so, trouncing a team that had taken part in the previous three significant international tournaments, and in Moscow, too, came as something of a delightful surprise.
      On a pitch soaked by heavy rain, the Finns started brightly, and they went ahead in the 22nd minute when Anne Mäkinen, who plays in the United States, followed up a free-kick from Anna-Kaisa Rantanen and saw her shot go in via a Russian defender and the post. In Pietarsaari last weekend, the Finns’ set-piece work had already taken the eye, so this goal was merely confirmation of their threat in this area of the game.
     
After the tension had been released with that first goal, it was time for a little light relief: a large stray dog attempted to take charge of the proceedings, and had to be shooed off by Swiss referee Nicole Petignat. The game was held up for five minutes as a result.
      It did not put the visitors off their stride, however, and five minutes before the break they went 2-0 up when Tiina Salmén rose to head home from a Rantanen corner. It was the 20-year-old’s first goal for the national squad in only her fifth appearance.
     
Things kept getting better after the break. Rantanen was again instrumental in adding to the scoring. Another corner was taken, this time short to the near post, where Salmén again did the business with a smart header. She commented afterwards that she was shocked at the space she was given in front of goal. Only after she had scored a brace of goals did she collect a Russian marker when the Finns tried a third time from the corner-flag.
     
By this stage the Finns were 4-0 ahead on aggregate, and even when the Russians raised their game to something like what they are capable of, there was no sense of panic. Russian striker Natalia Barbachina pulled a goal back with 25 minutes remaining, but goalkeeper Satu Kunnas and a solid Finnish defensive performance assured the visitors could eventually cruise to a comfortable victory.
      The Finnish chief coach Michael Käld was naturally overjoyed that his charges had performed so well. Though the headlines will mostly be about a 20-year-old newcomer scoring two goals, he praised the entire team for having blunted the Russian attack.
      Käld’s arrival, together with the gradual spread of Finnish players to tougher teams abroad, has tightened up Finland’s previously leaky defence, and during the qualification matches they conceded only one goal more than group winners Sweden.
     
There are still two outstanding play-off ties: Norway meet Iceland (the other 3rd-placed team to reach this stage) twice in November, and the Czech Republic face off home and away against Italy.
      The winners of those two pairings will then join the Finns, along with the hosts England and the four group winners - Denmark, France, Germany, and Sweden.


Links:
  UEFA Women’s Championships 2005

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