Finland - Estonia U21 friendly 11 Feb 12.00 GMT

Finland U21 team continues their preparations for the EURO 2009 U21 in Sweden this summer. Due to injuries and the will and need of testing new players there are some new and interesting faces to this level. Well, naturally this is not the team who qualified but the team that starts their qualification this year in a very hard group where other teams come from Spain, Holland, Poland and Liechtenstein. Finland was seeded in the basket number 2 and can not really boast with a good luck in the draw.

The visitors Estonia are not quite from the top of the world and Finland has a good chance for possession and to practise their goalscoring skills.

Both goalies who come this time from Turku are useful players, no problem there though they will not probably make the team at the end of day.

Players
Jukka Lehtovaara, TPS
Oskari Forsman, FC Inter

Jani Tanska, FF Jaro
Paulus Arajuuri, IFK Mariehamn
Jussi Heikkinen, FC Hämeenlinna
Joona Toivio, FC Telstar (NED)
Henri Aalto, FC Honka
Jarkko Värttö, FC Honka
Jani Virtanen, Sorrento Calcio (ITA)

There a couple of defenders that I have never yet seen personally in action; Arajuuri looks like a solid centerback. Aalto and Värttö are good and confident with the ball. Tanska was a promising youngster but I am afraid his days of glory are already behind.

Toni Kolehmainen, AZ Alkmaar (NED)
Sebastian Mannström, FF Jaro
Sakari Mattila, Udinese Calcio (ITA)
Riku Riski, TPS

Sakari Mattila played a dream season in HJK and got a dream transfer to Italy. The lad has got a good shot which he also uses from a distance. Most interesting player for me tomorrow to follow.


Akseli Pelvas, HJK
Patrik Lomski, TPS
Pele Koljonen, KuPS
Jani Bäckman, FC Honka
Aleksej Kangaskolkka, Tampere United

None of the forwards here have so far showed their full potential but they should be able to produce enough against the Estonian team, which again is a huge underdog in Wednesday´s game.

The game is played indoors, it is a friendly and a lot of substitutions are to be expected. No bets.

Prediction 4-1.

Edit: FT 2-1 (1-1) Finland goals by Akseli Pelvas and Jani Bäckman. Not a very thrilling game, a typical friendly with all too many substitutions and players who are not up to the task.