Preview: Finland Under-21s vs. Netherlands Under-21s - prediction, team news, lineups

Looking to start their respective campaigns off on positive notes, Finland Under-21s and Netherlands Under-21s clash at Kolice Futbalova Arena on Thursday night on the opening round of Euro U21. 

The Eagle Owls made it to the tournament proper in dramatic fashion at the tail end of last year, whilst favourites Oranje waltzed into the summer competition with minimal fuss. 

Match preview

After missing out on qualification for the 2023 edition of this competition, Finland are back on the biggest stage of youth football in Europe following a nervy and dramatic qualifying campaign across the 2023-24 calendar. 

The Eagles Owls commenced their section with two defeats from three matches, but a seven-game unbeaten run for the remainder of the group allowed them to finish second on 20 points from 10 games, meaning that they advanced into a playoff against Norway to determine who would make the cut this summer.

Finland were the underdogs against their Scandinavian rivals but managed an emphatic 5-1 success in the first leg which all-but secured their safe passage into Euro Under-21, with five different goalscorers contributing to an absolute rout at Tammelan Stadion in Tampere. 

Thursday night’s underdogs endured a mixed fate during their warm-up contests for this competition during the March international break, when the Eagle Owls were dismantled 4-2 by Georgia on home soil before picking up a morale-boosting 1-0 success over Slovenia just three days later. 

Whilst the majority of Finland’s squad ply their trade in the top division of their home nation, there are a few stars amongst the ranks who have flown the nest in recent times, including Lucas Bergstrom, who is currently on the books of Premier League giants and Conference League champions Chelsea.

Despite last tasting success in this competition in 2007, the Netherlands are one of the favourites to win the entire tournament in Slovakia this summer, with Thursday night’s designated away side showing little signs of weakness during a formidable qualification campaign. 

Oranje navigated 10 Group C matches without dropping a single point, netting a mouth-watering 32 goals and conceding on a mere three occasions in the enjoyable process, meaning that the likes of Georgia and Sweden could only watch on as the Dutch eased to top spot. 

The Netherlands are currently in the midst of an eight-game unbeaten streak (6W 2D) across the most recent qualification campaign and friendly fixtures, with their latest defeat arriving in March 2024, when Sturm Graz striker Seedy Jatta found the net for Norway in a friendly contest. 

In fact, the young Oranje have not been defeated in a competitive fixture since the final of this competition during the summer of 2021, when a certain Liverpool-bound Florian Wirtz hit a brilliant brace for Germany to deny the Netherlands a third continental Under-21 crown. 

In a group containing Thursday’s opponents Finland, Ukraine and Denmark, the Netherlands will be expected to make the knockout stages of this tournament at a canter, with tougher foes awaiting in the latter knockings of proceedings. 

Team News

Finland are without the services of Casper Terho, who picked up a serious knee injury playing for Bundesliga 2 outfit Paderborn in April.

As a result, the Eagle Owls are short of options in the middle of the park, where Matti Peltola of DC United is expected to play a major role.

Netherlands have plenty of attacking threats to pick from at this level, including Stoke City's Million Manhoef and Ruben van Bommel of AZ Alkmaar.

A pair of Ajax stars are set to light up the midfield for the young Oranje this summer in the form of Kenneth Taylor and Youri Regeer.

Finland Under-21s possible starting lineup:

Bergstrom; Galvez, Jansson, Naamo, Ylitolva; Peltola, Jukkola, Walta, Skytta; Keskinen, Liimatta

Netherlands Under-21s possible starting lineup:

Owusu-Oduro; Salah-Eddine, Goes, Hato, Maatsen; Taylor, Regeer, Valente; Poku, Van Bommel, Ohio

We say: Finland Under-21s 0-3 Netherlands Under-21s

Winning all of their qualification matches at a canter, Netherlands should be supremely confident of commencing their Euros campaign with maximum points.

Finland made it through to the tournament by the skin of their teeth and could be given a rude awakening by Oranje on Thursday night.

Written by
Carter White

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