Finnish women slip up in irrelevant match with Ukraine

Euro 2009 quarter-final opponents still undetermined

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Finland’s women footballers rather unexpectedly lost their final group stage game against Ukraine on Saturday, going down to a second-half goal from Lyudmila Pekur, who intercepted a wayward back-pass from Tuija Hyyrynen to goalkeeper Minna Meriluoto and put the ball away.
      The result had no more than cosmetic significance, for Finland had already ensured that they would qualify for the quarter-finals as group winners, and Ukraine’s win did not lift them off the bottom of the table.
     
Coach Michael Käld rang the changes from the Finnish side that beat Holland 2-1 last Wednesday. Hyyrynen and Meriluoto were two of those to get a place in the starting line-up, along with Katri Nokso-Koivisto and two of the Wednesday subs, Annica Sjölund and Anna-Kaisa Rantanen.
      Aside from the mix-up that led to the goal, Hyyrynen put in a solid performance, and Meriluoto made no mistakes between the posts, although she will probably remain behind Tinja-Riikka Korpela in the pecking order.
      The Finnish team as a whole had a very attacking look to it, and arguably it was a case of too many cooks - nothing much went right up front, and the few real opportunities to score were wasted.
     
Then again, it is probably no bad thing that the team comes down to earth before the quarters.
      They will have to meet the third-placed team from either Group B (Norway) or Group C (unclear as yet, but probably one from the trio of England, Italy, and Russia).
      Germany advanced unbeaten and with a 10-1 goal difference from Group B, with France taking 2nd spot, and Sweden are already through from Group C, although that quartet still has to play its last matches today. An unlikely England win over Sweden could shuffle the order somewhat.
     
In Finland’s own group, Holland beat Denmark 2-1 on Saturday to ensure they progress.
      They will meet France in the only quarter-final that has so far been decided. The Danes have only a slim hope of going through as one of the two best 3rd-placed teams, and will have to rely on favourable results and scores from the Group C matches.
      Finland’s next game will in any event be played in Turku on September 3rd.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  EURO 2009: Finland overcome Holland to win group (27.8.2009)

Links:
  UEFA Women´s European Championships 2009 (Wikipedia)
  UEFA site

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