Perspective: A huge disappointment for Finland – But the European Championship buzz is buzzing in the background

Janne PalomäkiThe Helmarie shouldn’t be ashamed. With a performance like this, they will definitely get a place in the quarterfinals, writes Janne Palomäki from Sion. Today at 21:07

Finland and Norway are geographical neighbors and also quite familiar with each other in football.

The teams played in the same qualifying league for the Swiss European Championship and have otherwise met each other countless times on the football pitch.

That’s why it was perhaps a bit surprising that before Sunday, Helmarit had faced all the other Nordic countries in the final tournaments, but Norway was facing them for the first time at this level.

When both teams won their opening games, Sion was already practically guaranteed to win the group. Head coach Marko Saloranta assured on the eve of the match that Finland would go for the full three points.

When the starting lineups were announced, it became clear that Saloranta was not bluffing at all. He could have rested his core players, but in the end he only changed Sanni Franssin for Oona Sevenius.

The decision was surprising, because Franssi had performed quite acceptably in Thun. On the other hand, Sevenius is Helmarie’s scum and still quite inexperienced in such places.

Actually, the Rosengård striker could not have been thrown into a much worse position, as Norway head coach Gemma Grainger made her own substitution in the defensive line.

Sevenius faced Mathilde Harviken, who plays professionally for Juventus and doesn’t shy away from tough moves.

A healthy dose of self-confidence is of course a good sign, but at some point it’s good to keep realities in mind.

One of them is that these matches are easier to win if the opponent is not given a free opening goal.

Even if Caroline Graham Hansen had gotten away with Joanna Tynnilä too easily, her serve would probably have gone nowhere.

Eva Nyström’s huti kick actually came at the worst possible time for Finland – and Norway.

The early lead gave the fjords a lead. It voluntarily gave the initiative to the white shirts, who this time also knew how to use their control of the game to their advantage.

Of course, in between, the ball still went to the Finnish goal post, and goalkeeper Anna Koivunen made the most amazing save of the tournament on Ada Hegerberg’s shot before Helmarit got the equalizer they deserved.

Eveliina Summanen started the attack, but the greatest credit for sharpening it goes to Oona Siren, who passed the ball directly to the running line of her namesake Sevenius

He didn’t shy away from the impressive frame, but blasted the ball straight into the top corner with a single shot.

The Zion Stadium is located in the shadow of the Tourbillon Castle, which dates back to the late 13th century.

Its walls, designed to last forever, were first breached just over a hundred years later in an internal rebellion in the canton of Valais.

Norway is one of the powerhouses of women’s football. Finland has not beaten them in a competitive match in 37 years.

It was close in Sion. Summanen bombed the ball into the upright. Saloranta added to the heat by sending Franssin in place of the tired Ria Öling.

Sevenius, who had become the figure of the match, dropped a notch lower. Still, he came close to deciding the match with his turn-around shot.

In the end, there was no revolution in Sion. The Norwegian walls held out, and in the end, Graham Hansen lifted the ball beautifully through the post.

The Barcelona star did what he is known for. He decided the match single-handedly.

Finland doesn’t have players like that. Never has.

Koivunen talked at length before the match about how he had a huge need to score. Veskari rose to take the extra-time corner kick this time too, but even he couldn’t pull off the kind of dream save that would have saved Finland from defeat.

The Tourbillon walls remained intact this time. Norway will very likely advance to the quarterfinals.

The fate of the Helmarie depends on the team itself. A win over Switzerland on Thursday in Geneva will certainly be enough to secure a place in the top eight.

With this kind of presentation, it’s even likely.