Late strikes lift Finland
Tuesday, September 6, 2005
Article summary
Finland 2-0 F.Y.R. Macedonia Two late goals in Turku were enough to lift the Finnish hosts off the bottom of the Group 1 table.
Article body
Visitors dominant
The home side started well in Turku, but were soon pegged back by the visitors with Ville Liskola in the Finland goal forced to make a number of saves before the interval. The Finns could consider themselves lucky to go in level at half-time after defender Veli Lampi was forced to clear a shot off the line.
Key changes
However, substitutions in the second half turned the tie in Finland's favour, and when Henri Scheweleff rattled the Macedonians' crossbar with a 74th-minute shot, it was a sign of things to come. Sure enough, with four minutes remaining, Finland centre-back Ville Lehtonen was gifted the opening goal as the visiting goalkeeper fumbled a corner.
Second goal
A minute later, Scheweleff pressed home Finland's advantage, heading the second from Daniel Sjölund's cross. The result takes the Finns above Armenia into fifth place in the group although neither they, nor F.Y.R. Macedonia in fourth, have any chance of reaching the play-offs for the UEFA European Under-21 Championship finals.
