Jacob Friis hopes the team can carry their good performance from this game into the upcoming ones.

Finland thrashed San Marino 7-0 away from home, controlling the game from the start. Joel Pohjanpalo, who eventually completed a hat-trick, opened the scoring in the 5th minute, giving Finland an early lead. Before halftime, Adrian Svanbek and Benjamin Kelman, both making their national team debuts, added goals, giving Finland a 3-0 lead going into halftime.  

In the second half, Finland maintained their strong attacking momentum, with Joel Pohjanpalo and Leo Varta both scoring twice. Head coach Jacob Friis was very satisfied with the team's overall performance; Finland controlled the game throughout, giving San Marino almost no breathing room.  

Jacob Frith said: "The key for us was to keep putting pressure on their defense and constantly look for space behind them. Taking a 3-0 lead at halftime is certainly a positive result, but sometimes the team can lose focus after gaining such an advantage. However, we maintained our pressing intensity well and kept trying to get into the penalty area. We stuck to this style of play throughout the game and ultimately got a great victory."  

Finland has had an ideal start to this four-match international break. Next, the team will return to their home ground, the Helsinki Olympic Stadium, to face Belarus on Tuesday, followed by a match against Albania on Saturday.  

Jacob Frith added: “Of course, I hope we can carry some of the positive aspects of this match into the upcoming games. We’ve been working on certain things for a long time, and they’re an important part of how we play. We’re constantly working on those requirements and seeking improvement. In any case, we’ll finish this match with a ‘mission accomplished’ mentality and continue to prepare for the next match.”  

Image source: Internet/Finnish National Team Official Website