National Team Friendly

National Stadium
Spectators: 10300 (Terracing: 7725, Seating: 2369, VIP seats: 206) It was fairly windy and cold on the field when Salomon Raita kicked off to start the match. A collision led to U21 Ireland getting a freekick after 8 minutes play. Bedilia McFrancise hit a great ball. Henri Holmström showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Babhruvahana Paappanen, who was totally free with the ball in the 16th minute. Henri Holmström didn't succeed in stopping the ball in the 19th minute, which inside left pole to 1-0. After 22 played minutes U21 Ireland got a freekick which was hit by Patrice Vieira. With his leg Henri Holmström managed to avoid a goal in the 27thth minute, when U21 Ireland's Peyton Costello fired away a shot with a lot of spin towards his right hand side. With an all-out effort, U21 Ireland's Henri Holmström threw himself towards the right post 30 minutes into the match and grabbed hold of the ball from Babhruvahana Paappanen, which otherwise would have been placed in the net. In the 32nd minute Eevert Sulonen shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Fergus Cronin saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Aadolf Hämäläinen sent away a hard shot on goal in the 34th minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. An unexpectedly hard shot by Salomon Raita in the 38th minute of play forced U21 Ireland's goalkeeper Fergus Cronin to throw himself to the left, to be able to save the ball. In the 40th match minute, U21 Finland was awarded a freekick, the ball was picked up by Aadolf Hämäläinen to maneuver through the defense. U21 Finland were awarded a corner in the 48th minute after U21 Ireland's defender lost control of the ball, allowing it to roll out over the line. Robert Raukko took the corner. U21 Finland's Robert Raukko was first on the ball when the corner was shot and he dangerously headed the ball towards goal, but Fergus Cronin in the goal jumped up to prevent it from getting in. Af the end of the first half the score was 1-0. The first half had gone as expected for the home team.

When the second half was about to start, both teams quickly lined up and Peyton Costello made a kick off. After a rather tough play, U21 Finland's Eevert Sulonen got a free kick in the 54th minute. After 55 played minutes, U21 Ireland's Darrin Benson shot from a long distance, and at first it looked like the ball was going into the goal, but the goalkeeper Henri Holmström came through and got his fingers on the ball before it flew over the goal line. He then quickly gripped the ball tighter before the forwards in U21 Ireland reached it. If Eevert Sulonen had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 67th minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. After 80 played minutes U21 Ireland got a freekick which was hit by Bedilia McFrancise. Darrin Benson got a throw-in 82 minutes in the game and the ball was received by Bedilia McFrancise. In the 86th minute, Patrice Vieira hit a crossing free kick to the open man running down the field. After having played for 87 minutes, Salomon Raita managed to get in a good position for a shot on goal. U21 Finland's supporters crossed their fingers, but Salomon Raita was, after a quick turn that froze the defenders, out of balance and shot the ball just to the right of the goal. A collision led to U21 Finland getting a freekick after 91 minutes play. Eevert Sulonen hit a great ball. The audience thought a goal was coming when Salomon Raita got free with Fergus Cronin in the 95th minute, but the goalkeeper managed to catch the ball with a huge effort. Henri Holmström showed his good apprehension of the play when he made a fantastic save on a shot from Peyton Costello, who was totally free with the ball in the 97th minute. There were very few away supporters still in the ground by the end of the match. Most of them had left early, disgusted by the way their team had been torn apart. U21 Ireland fully deserved thier win.