Finland U21 Proud of Draw Against Netherlands, Ready to Take on Leading Nations

In a thrilling opener to the UEFA European Under-21 Championship, Finland U21 came heartbreakingly close to securing a remarkable win against Netherlands U21 for the first time in 16 years. However, a late equaliser in stoppage time meant the match ended in a 2-2 draw in Kosice, Slovakia, after the Finns had led 2-0.

Two quick goals within three minutes of the first half courtesy of Casper Terho and Topi Keskinen had the Little Owls flying high. Yet, just before the hour mark, Luciano Valente brought the Dutch back into contention, and in a dramatic finish, Ernest Poku struck in the 93rd minute to level the score in Group D.

Midfielder Adam Markhiev reflected on the match, acknowledging the disappointment felt in the locker room despite the draw, stating, “The players were upset after the game, although we should consider ourselves fortunate to have claimed a point against the Netherlands.”

He continued, “I believe it was a crucial point for us. We should also commend our goalkeeper, Lucas Bergstrom, for his excellent performance,” having made six crucial saves as the Dutch created numerous attempts on goal.

Terho, who netted the opening goal, expressed his pride, remarking, “Scoring in such a significant match is truly special.”

When discussing what the game revealed about the effectiveness of Finland’s gameplay under head coach Mika Lehkosuo, the Paderborn forward commented, “Leading 2-0 at half-time against one of the strongest teams in the tournament shows our style of play is functioning exceptionally well. We are confident in our approach.”

Keskinen was quick to highlight the significant support from Finnish fans in Kosice, saying, “The backing from our supporters was phenomenal throughout the match.”

He continued, “While we can take satisfaction from the point, the late equaliser from the Dutch is naturally disappointing. We were on the brink of victory, which would have been an incredible result.”

“This match demonstrated that we can compete with leading nations, and we have a strong squad. I believe our confidence has definitely grown.”

The Finns will now look to channel this boosted confidence into their next match at Kosice’s Kosicka futbalova arena on Sunday against Ukraine, who suffered a 3-2 defeat to Denmark in their opener.