Finland starts the EC qualifiers in Copenhagen.
Markku Kanerva (center) named Teemu Puki (left) and Pyry Soir for Huuhkajie’s EC qualifying games. GIAN EHRENZELLER
Finland’s head coach Markku Kanerva has named Huuhkajat for the European Championship qualifiers in March. Finland starts the qualifiers in Copenhagen on March 23. against Denmark. Three days later the Huhkajat will face Northern Ireland in Belfast.
– 24 players have been named to the team, and it will be supplemented by two due to the uncertain situation of some players, Kanerva said.
Among others, Schalke is missing from the team Jere Uronenwho is suffering from a groin injury.
– We are waiting for Uronen to recover, if he could possibly come along.
Also Oliver Antman has been injured, but the man is now fit and in the team. Also Anssi Suhonen was named to the team, even though the man has been ill recently. However, he has already made a return to HSV’s lineup.
Denmark, Slovenia, Kazakhstan, Northern Ireland and San Marino play in the same qualifying group H as Huhkaji.
– Denmark is the early favorite, but Slovenia and Northern Ireland will also be tough opponents. Kazakhstan, who won their home match in the Nations League, is the dark horse of the group, and that too cannot be underestimated, says Kanerva.
The European Championships will be played in Germany in the summer of 2024. The ten group winners and ten runners-up in the European Championship qualifiers advance directly to the final tournament.
Cheerleaders in the European Championship qualifiers in March:
Lukas Hradecky, Bayer 04 Leverkusen
Jesse Joronen, Venezia FC
Viljami Sinisalo, Aston Villa
Robert Ivanov, Warta Poznan
Leo Väisänen, Austin FC
Richard Jensen, Gornik Zabrze
Arttu Hoskonen, Krakow
Nikolai Alho, Volos NPS
Ilmari Niskanen, Dundee United FC
Pyry Soiri, HJK
Tuomas Ollila, HJK
Glen Kamara, Glasgow Rangers FC
Rasmus Schüller, Djurgårdens IF
Robert Taylor, Inter Miami CF
Robin Lod, Minnesota United FC
Kaan Kairinen, Sparta Prague
Anssi Suhonen, Hamburger SV
Niilo Mäenpää, Warta Poznan
Teemu Pukki, Norwich City FC
Marcus Forss, Middlesbrough FC
Joel Pohjanpalo, Venezia FC
Benjamin Källman, Krakow
Fredrik Jensen, FC Augsburg
Oliver Antman, FC Groningen