Finland-Czech (r)

ChivaCongelado · Mar 28, 2005

Finally got around posting about this (I thought you guys would have a thread already). Final scoreboard 4-3... how is the classification now for Finland? Did anybody see the game?

Canadian_Supporter · Mar 28, 2005

Much closer game then I expected. I am certainly pleased that Lokvenc scored in the 87th minute for the Czechs.

Rewy · Apr 1, 2005

I just can't believe how did Kuqi manage to butt the ball straight against Cech?

Kuqi, about over 10 goals in 1st Division(or what they called that again) for Ipshwich. Unbelieable. Tomas Jun's dribble in the middle of Finland's defense was quite nice.

urtel · Apr 1, 2005

Finland again bemoaned their luck as they slipped to defeat in an end to end thriller away in Teplice against The Czech Republic. But before we get the violins out for Finland, or talk about the team being cursed by bad luck, the team should reflect on some suicidal defending against one of the best teams in Europe. Fate didn't cut the Finns throat, they cut their own. Veteran playmaker Jari Litmanen, ever the pragmatist, sensibly concluded "Of course in times like these you can say that Finnish football is cursed. I would rather think about it a little further than that. Of course you aim at a flawless game. It would, however, require that all parts would work and well, unfortunately that is a little difficult".

Finland were without several key players for this match, injury robbing Finland of Teemu Tainio and Mikael Forssell, Mika Väyrynen was suspended. Finland were the assistors for the Czech's opening two goals in the first half. Kolkka rather than putting his boot through a loose ball in the penalty area inexplicably tried to beat his man and was promptly dispossessed. Tomas Rosicky's crossed from the byline and the Jekyll and Hyde finisher of football (Ruthless with Czech republic, wayward with Liverpool) Milan Baros got in front of his Liverpool colleague, Sami Hyypiä, to score from close range.

Finland then created two decent chances. In the 10th minute Joonas Kolkka was released by Shefki Kuqi, Kolkka raced into the area, but his shot was so badly scuffed that the pope would have saved it (apparently a goalkeeper in his day) let alone Peter Cech. Perhaps Joonas is currently lacking some match sharpness after being out of Crystal Palace's first team with injury and illness. One minute later and Jari Litmanen's cross found Aki Riihilahti, his header was well saved by the Premiership's finest, Peter Cech. Finland have the choice of two premiership goalkeepers, both highly rated, but Bolton's Jussi Jääskeläinen was preferred to Finland's usual #1, Antti Niemi not quite at full match fitness.

Unfortunately Niemi might have made a better fist of Rosicky's free kick, or at least got a fist to the ball. Rosisky's effort looked more like a cross but the dangerous delivery evaded strikers and defenders and Jääskeläinen was slow to react as the ball crept into the bottom right hand corner of the net. Suddenly the Czech Republic were cruising at 2-0 after 30 minutes.
Finland have one quality as a national characteristic and that is to roll up their sleeves and fight till the end, and despite their failings in defence, as a team Finland surprised the Czech Republic with a mighty and an almost heroic fightback. There's that word so associated with Finnish football again "almost".

The Czech Republic were also guilty of some shambolic defending and such generosity from the hosts enabled Finland to get back into the game in the second half. The rejuvenated Riihilahti was released into acres of space down the right wing and his cross was acrobatically (maybe the pilates helped?) volleyed past Peter Cech's dive into the bottom right hand corner by Jari Litmanen. Litmanen's 25th international goal and probably one of his best.

The Czech Republic restored their two goal advantage ten minutes later when the diminutive Rozicky easily raced past Kopteff in the left back position and put the ball on a plate for Jan Polák, his finish from a few yards out was a formality. Peter Kopteff is a talented and skillful winger, but in recent friendlies and against lesser opposition Kopteff has been tried as a left back in the absence of Janne Saarinen. Antti Muurinen will probably employ a specialist defender for that role against quality opposition in the future, although none of Finland's more "specialist" back line covered themselves in glory.

Finland pulled a goal back in the 73rd minute when The Czech defence failed to pick up Finnish bodies in the box. Hyypiä's strong header was diverted into the net from just in front of the goal line by Aki Riihilahti and Finland were back in the match. Some kamikaze defending allowed Finland to silence the Czech crowd and draw Finland level.
Captain Jari Litmanen was substituted in the 77th minute and Johansson intercepted a careless touch from the Czech defence, the Charlton man showed good composure to convert past Cech inside the penalty area. With only three minutes remaining the lively Johansson put in a cross from the left, Kuqi had timed his run perfectly, with the goal gaping somehow Cech got a hand to the ball to save at point blank range. An incredible save or an incredible miss?

To be fair to Kuqi as he met the ball all he would have seen would have been an empty net, it was incredible reflex save from Peter Cech. Cruelly for Finland the ball broke to the Czech Republic and they attacked down the left wing. Plasil's pass was dummied on the edge of the area, the Finnish defence didn't read it, but Vratislav Lokvenc did and raced past the flat footed defence to power his shot into the roof of the net.

Finland players trudged off the field looking suitably dejected, but despite a spirited fightback, The Czech Republic claimed all three points thanks to some terrible defending and some superb play from Rozicky.

Finland : Jussi Jääskeläinen; Petri Pasanen, Hannu Tihinen, Sami Hyypiä, Peter Kopteff; Aki Riihilahti, Jari Ilola; Mika Nurmela, Jari Litmanen (C) (77. Johansson), Joonas Kolkka (60. Eremenko jr.); Shefki Kuqi.
Click to expand...

The question I asked myself is: Would Niemi have done better in goal than Jussi? By this game, no. The Czechs were everywhere.

ChivaCongelado · Apr 1, 2005

urtel said:

The question I asked myself is: Would Niemi have done better in goal than Jussi? By this game, no. The Czechs were everywhere.
Click to expand...

Kiitos urtel. Saw the highlights of the match in Eurosport. I really wonder whether Muurinen could have done anything about this, seems to me that the mentality of the players has also to blame. Another 4 years to wait, it seems...