Finland were brushed aside 4-0 by the Netherlands in Amsterdam, but the more seismic blow came later this evening, as Poland ran out 2-0 winners away in Lithuania.
Click the links on the results above to read Flashscore’s full match reports of those games.
That gives the Dutch a three-point lead atop the group, ahead of Poland, whose advantage over the Finns is also three points.
The Eagle Owls will be expected to take three points from their final game in November, at home to Malta, and could find themselves level again with Poland should they lose at home to the Netherlands, who will be desperate to seal first place and qualify automatically.
However, even if that is the case, then Finland will be forced to watch on as Poland play minnows Malta on the final matchday, needing only a point to take the Playoff place. Malta are winless so far, taking two points off Lithuania, and have a goal difference of -15.
Yet if Malta did then pull off the nigh-on impossible and beat Poland, that still might not be enough for Finland to take second place, as Poland’s goal difference is currently +6, while tonight’s loss has seen the Finns’ drop to -5.
Therefore, in November, Finland need a big win over Malta and for Poland to lose heavily to the Netherlands and lose to Malta, for them to finish in the top two.
Friis pleased with his players
Despite the four-goal loss in Amsterdam, Finland head coach Jacob Friis had positive words to say about his players when speaking to Finnish television after the match.
“I just praised my players for how terribly hard they worked.”
For the second time in this qualification campaign, Friis put the difference between the Dutch and his side down to the moments and players of quality the Oranje possess, and his positivity extended to his defenders, even with the 4-0 scoreline.
“As I recall, the goals came from a penalty, a set piece and the rest were from long-range shots into the top corner. The (Finland) defence was quite okay, even though it sounds crazy now,” he admitted.
“We had a few counterattacks. We could have maybe had a little more quality (in the final third). The opponent was stronger, faster and better. We could have had something special,” Friis lamented.
Review all the FIFA World Cup qualifiers on Flashscore.
