Comment | Markku Kanerva dug his deepest hole – Huuhkajat has never experienced such a losing streak

Screamers had to take the win, but they took the loss in the last moments.

Huuhkajat has now lost four competitive matches in a row, including the European Championship play-off match in March. Here is now the deepest productive hole of the Kanerva Huuhkajat head coach’s season. We have to get out of the hole somehow, but before then it will probably get deeper in Sunday’s match against England.

The losing streak is a new kind of history head coach Markku Kanerva. Never before in his head coaching season have Huuhkajat lost four competitive matches in a row.

Starting from last September, Huuhkajie’s balance in competitive matches is sad to read. Three wins and seven losses. Huuhkajat experienced their third consecutive defeat in the Nations League B-League on Thursday night, and the national team has never started the Nations League this badly before.

The gravity of the defeat was increased by the fact that the Huuhkajat now suffered a defeat against Ireland, which Finland should keep behind them to avoid direct relegation from the League B of the Nations League. The Ireland match had to be won, and in advance it was the easiest opponent this fall at the Olympic Stadium. England and Greece are favorites for the first and second places in the group.

From a long time for a while it seemed that Kanerva and his assistant coaches chose a starting line-up that didn’t cause any grumblings, but rather a contented murmur among the fans and the media.

Huuhkajie’s coaching had really only made one big change to the starting line-up after the previous matches. Leo Walta made it to the starting line-up for the first time in his fifth international match. Walta, known for his accurate passes, seemed to be bothered by the bad condition of the stadium’s pitch, but he didn’t blame the pitch after the match.

Finland’s opening goal also partially went into the field. Joel Pohjanpalo in the 17th minute, the Irish topper caught a low pass and then shot the ball accurately into the goal.

Screamers In the matches of the Nations League this time, some kind of in-game pattern can be seen. Finland starts the game well and gets scoring chances. But then the game turns to the opponent.

Ireland’s equalizer came from an onside free kick in the 57th minute. The free kick was good, and a topper Liam Scales tied the match. At the hour mark, scoring attempts were already 10-4 for Ireland, and Ireland had a clear grip on the game. Whereas the opponent was able to increase the tempo and press, Finland was unable to do the same. Finland became very passive.

In the last quarter, Kanerva switched Teemu Pukin and by Benjamin Källman onto the field – the coaching staff wanted to win the match, not secure a draw. Pukki immediately electrified the Finnish game with his ability to control the ball.

The last three minutes were traditional. Finland had a really good goal position, and a minute later, the goal net stretched in the Finnish goal. Buck and Tomas Galvez were unable to prevent centralization, and Adam Ståhl wasted Ireland’s left Pak to score.

According to the coaching team, they wanted to implement things in the game that were seen against Greece: control of the center, high pressing and attacks from the opponent’s back when the opportunity arose. Did it look like it? Well, it didn’t seem like it.

The Ireland match looked more like a return to Kanerva’s old ideas instead of new ideas.

What was left of this in the end? Huhkaji’s first goal in the Nations League – that’s it.