Blog #12 – Finland 0 – Poland 0 

Wed, Sept 12, 2007

I just got back from one of the most exciting 0 – 0 games I have ever seen.  Now I am sitting here with Frans Hoek and Job Dragstma the coach of FC Turku Inter and the Director of Youth Development and two of the front office staff.

Tomorrow I will watch the HJK Helsinki Professional Team train at 9am. Then I have a meeting with the Director of Youth Development of HJK Helsinki at 12:00pm.

Thursday night, I will see a game in the Veikkausliiga (Finnish Premier League) between Viking IL and Tampiere .  Tampiere plays this year in the UEFA Cup.

I am going to visit, but will try and e-mail again.  Frans and the Polish team leave tomorrow and I have been using the wireless at their hotel.

If I can not send my next blog Thursday, I will send it Friday when I return to Frankfurt since I have a 4 hour layover before I come home.

Until soon,

Andrew Ziemer

P.S.  Portugal is leading 1-0 against Serbia by a goal from Simao in the 11th minute.  It is now ½ time.

Below you will find what reports are out from UEFA.

FINLANDFinland

22 Jussi Jääskeläinen
14 Toni Kuivasto
4 Sami Hyypiä
5 Hannu Tihinen
2 Petri Pasanen
24 Daniel Sjölund
23 Markus Heikkinen
8 Teemu Tainio
11 Joonas Kolkka
20 Alexei Eremenko Jr
21 Jonatan Johansson
Substitutes
12 Mikko Kavén
19 Toni Kallio
26 Jarkko Wiss
32 Roman Eremenko
7 Mika Nurmela
9 Mikael Forssell
18 Shefki Kuqi
Coach
Roy Hodgson

POLAND
1 Artur Boruc
4 Pawel Golański
2 Mariusz Jop
14 Michał Żewłakow
16 Jakub Błaszczykowski
5 Dariusz Dudka
6 Radosław Sobolewski
18 Mariusz Lewandowski
7 Euzebiusz Smolarek
8 Jacek Krzynówek
11 Grzegorz Rasiak
Substitutes
12 Tomasz Kuszczak
3 Jakub Wawrzyniak
13 Arkadiusz Głowacki
15 Wojciech Łobodziński
9 Maciej Żurawski
17 Przemysław Kaźmierczak
10 Marek Saganowski
Coach
Leo Beenhakker

Referee
Herbert Fandel (GER)
Assistant referee
Carsten Kadach (GER) Mike Pickel (GER)
Fourth official
Peter Sippel (GER)

Poland make a point in Helsinki
Wednesday 12 September 2007

Group A leaders Poland moved a step closer to qualifying for UEFA EURO 2008™ with a goalless draw against a Finland side who could yet join them in the finals.

Boruc resistance A sell-out crowd at Helsinki's Olympiastadion roared on the second-placed hosts, who are seeking to qualify for a major tournament for the first time – but they could find no way past Poland goalkeeper Artur Boruc. Finland custodian Jussi Jääskeläinen was also kept busy in a pulsating game in which both teams hit the woodwork.

Early chances The home side had looked nervous early on, allowing Poland to create two opportunities, both of which were squandered by Mariusz Lewandowski. Finland finally offered a threat shortly after the half-hour when Alexei Eremenko Jr forced a smart stop from Boruc. The Celtic FC player had to be alert again three minutes later to deny Daniel Sjölund while Poland responded with efforts from Jacek Krzynówek and Euzebiusz Smolarek.

Smolarek opportunities Leo Beenhakker's men had an excellent chance to open the scoring within four minutes of the restart but, following good work from Jakub Błaszczykowski, Smolarek could not get enough power on his shot to beat Jääskeläinen. Smolarek came close again when his chipped attempt was kept out by the impressive keeper. Having spent a long period on the back foot, Finland went within centimetres of taking the lead on 68 minutes when Eremenko's close-range shot struck a post.

Frantic finish The hosts menaced again as Eremenko crossed for Jonatan Johansson but the striker's header flashed over the bar from 12 metres. Then Poland's Marek Saganowski rattled the woodwork before both sides nearly won the match in a frantic finish – Błaszczykowski going close for Poland and Sjölund seeing a late effort blocked. The result maintained Poland's two-point buffer over Finland in Group A.

Match Content

EVENTS -

Minute by minute -

- The final whistle is blown.
90+2Błaszczykowski (Poland) misses the target.
90+1Wiss (in) - Heikkinen (out) (Finland)
89 Błaszczykowski (Poland) is booked.
89 Błaszczykowski (Poland) gives away a free-kick following a challenge on Sjölund (Finland).
88 Żurawski (Poland) commits a foul after challenging Heikkinen (Finland).
87 Sjölund (Finland) delivers the corner.
87 Sjölund (Finland) has a shot blocked.
86 Pasanen (Finland) makes a save.
86 Krzynówek (Poland) takes the corner.
86 Błaszczykowski (Poland) has an effort on goal.
85 Saganowski (Poland) hits the post.
85 Forssell (Finland) fouls.
84 Sobolewski (Poland) gives away a free-kick following a challenge on Heikkinen (Finland).
80 Żurawski (in) - Smolarek (out) (Poland)
79 Sjölund (Finland) delivers the corner.
77 Boruc (Poland) makes a save.
77 Sjölund (Finland) takes the corner.
77 Tihinen (Finland) has an effort on goal.
74 Pasanen (Finland) delivers the free-kick wide.
73 Jop (Poland) commits a foul after challenging Eremenko Jr (Finland).
73 Forssell (Finland) fouls.
72 Saganowski (Poland) gives away a free-kick following a challenge on Hyypiä (Finland).
72 Forssell (in) - Johansson (out) (Finland)
71 Johansson (Finland) misses the target.
69 Saganowski (Poland) commits a foul after challenging Tihinen (Finland).
68 Eremenko Jr (Finland) hits the post.
67 Błaszczykowski (Poland) fouls.
65 Saganowski (in) - Rasiak (out) (Poland)
65 Kuivasto (Finland) gives away a free-kick following a challenge on Błaszczykowski (Poland).
63 Boruc (Poland) makes a save.
62 Jääskeläinen (Finland) makes a save.
61 Eremenko Jr (Finland) is flagged for offside.
60 Sjölund (Finland) misses the target.
59 Smolarek (Poland) commits a foul after challenging Tihinen (Finland).
58 Jääskeläinen (Finland) makes a save.
58 Smolarek (Poland) has an effort on goal.
57 Johansson (Finland) fouls.
56 Eremenko Jr (Finland) misses the target.
54 Heikkinen (Finland) gives away a free-kick following a challenge on Dudka (Poland).
53 Kuivasto (Finland) commits a foul after challenging Błaszczykowski (Poland).
50 Jääskeläinen (Finland) makes a save.
50 Krzynówek (Poland) delivers the corner.
50 Błaszczykowski (Poland) takes the corner.
50 Jääskeläinen (Finland) makes a save.
49 Smolarek (Poland) has an effort on goal.

- The second half begins.
- The referee blows for half-time.

45 Boruc (Poland) makes a save.
45 Żewłakow (Poland) fouls.
44 Rasiak (Poland) is adjudged to be in an offside position.
43 Kolkka (Finland) handles the ball.
43 Kolkka (Finland) misses the target.
41 Tihinen (Finland) gives away a free-kick following a challenge on Krzynówek (Poland).
39 Smolarek (Poland) misses the target.
38 Eremenko Jr (Finland) is flagged for offside.
38 Boruc (Poland) makes a save.
34 Krzynówek (Poland) has a shot blocked.
33 Jop (Poland) is shown a yellow card.
33 Boruc (Poland) makes a save.
32 Sjölund (Finland) has an effort on goal.
30 Krzynówek (Poland) commits a foul after challenging Tihinen (Finland).
29 Boruc (Poland) makes a save.
29 Eremenko Jr (Finland) has an effort on goal.
28 Lewandowski (Poland) misses the target.
26 Eremenko Jr (Finland) handles the ball.
25 Eremenko Jr (Finland) is cautioned by the referee.
23 Eremenko Jr (Finland) is adjudged to be in an offside position.
21 Sjölund (Finland) delivers the corner.
21 Golański (Poland) fouls.
21 Dudka (Poland) gives away a free-kick following a challenge on Heikkinen (Finland).
20 Eremenko Jr (Finland) commits a foul after challenging Jop (Poland).
19 Johansson (Finland) is flagged for offside.
18 Krzynówek (Poland) takes the corner.
17 Eremenko Jr (Finland) fouls.
16 Krzynówek (Poland) delivers the corner.
15 Krzynówek (Poland) takes the corner.
14 Sjölund (Finland) gives away a free-kick following a challenge on Golański (Poland).
13 Lewandowski (Poland) misses the target.
11 Eremenko Jr (Finland) is adjudged to be in an offside position.
10 Żewłakow (Poland) commits a foul after challenging Johansson (Finland).
9 Rasiak (Poland) is flagged for offside.
9 Eremenko Jr (Finland) is adjudged to be in an offside position.
8 Rasiak (Poland) is flagged for offside.
7 Dudka (Poland) fouls.
6 Lewandowski (Poland) gives away a free-kick following a challenge on Johansson (Finland).
5 Krzynówek (Poland) commits a foul after challenging Johansson (Finland).

- The match is under way.

 STATISTICS -Statistics

Finland

Poland