Finland’s women’s national football team have secured their place in next year’s European Championship finals in England.
The Helmarit, or Pearl Owls, beat Portugal 1-0 at the Töölö stadium in Helsinki on Friday evening with a goal in the dying seconds from Linda Sällström.
The result means that Finland sit at the top of qualifying Group E with an unassailable lead and only one game left to play.
The Pearl Owls have become accustomed to late drama during their qualification campaign. Sällström equalised in the last minute to earn Finland a point in the reverse fixture against Portugal in November 2019 and an injury time winner by substitute Amanda Rantanen secured victory over Scotland last December.
Next year’s tournament will be Finland’s fourth appearance at the European Championship finals, with the previous qualifications coming in 2005, 2009 and 2013.
The tournament had originally been scheduled to take place from 7 July to 1 August this year, but due to the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent postponements of the 2020 Summer Olympics and the men’s Euro 2020 championship, the women’s finals was postponed.
It is now scheduled to take place from 6 to 31 July 2022.
