Marko Saloranta did not hide his disappointment: “This hurts for a really long time”

Marko Saloranta believes he will find much to improve in his work as long as the dust goes down a bit. Jussi Eskola

Pearl coach Marko Saloranta usually speaks with a very loud voice.

However, after the Swiss draw on Finland, he almost whispers his answer.

– I’m proud of how the players threw themselves into this. Nobody thought we could fight for the place when this project started, Saloranta starts.

– This hurts for a really long time. We wanted to go on from that block and it was near.

The Finnish tournament finally crashed with the extra time of Switzerland to make a handicap. But of course the pearls could have scored more goals on the Icelandic network or pinned Norway at least a point.

– In the first two games, I wouldn’t do anything differently. In this game, we had more difficult moments than in the entire tournament before.

However, difficult moments were over when Natalia Kuikka Made the bilge of the pearl lead. After that, Finland may have passive.

– We took big risks when we had to score. It succeeded.

– Then we reacted because we had to defend. That’s what I was thinking about. At first it worked well. We had a lot of players under the ball, but we weren’t aggressive in the form. It could have improved.

Very often, the team in need of paint gets pressure on the opponent’s defense. This is what happened now. Still, the final setback seemed like a lawsuit.

– We still got more Olga Ahtinen Shot and pressure to Switzerland. It just wasn’t enough. Certainly, as we survive and analyze this, there is much more to do.

Is this the biggest disappointment of your football life?

– They have been both successful and disappointing. It’s probably pretty close to it.

Saloranta and the entire Helmarit community are now turning their gaze to the future. In the fall, for example, there will be a two -part League League qualifier against Denmark.

– We know that we can play these games. We have a chance to win. There are a lot of things that work, he decided.

– More players seemed to be able to play at this level.