Finland put four past Slovakia to build Women's World Cup qualifying momentum

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/finland/EPXH92YE/"]Finland[/a] pushed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/portugal/2wzV2vte/"]Portugal[/a] hard in their opening game in March before conceding two late goals, then got the points they deserved back at home with a win over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/latvia/b5PNuOS4/"]Latvia[/a], leaving them second in the group, above [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/slovakia/6yMSOPh6/"]Slovakia[/a] on goal difference.[/p][p]Three points this afternoon would maintain ambitions of topping the group, and Finland made the perfect start when [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/kosola-katariina/8fQ9aruk/"]Katariina Kosola[/a] did well to control a searching ball forward from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tynnila-joanna/na0eoif2/"]Joanna Tynnila[/a], before holding her nerve when through on goal [/b]to put her side ahead in the fourth minute.[/p][p]A landmark moment arrived midway through the first half, as a flowing move resulted in [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lindstrom-lotta/4fPioq2D/"]Lotta Lindstrom[/a] holding the ball up well on the edge of the area before playing in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/engman-adelina/UusZ0tMB/"]Adelina Engman[/a], who finished in style on the occasion of her 100th cap.[/b][/p][p]But it was game on again with 10 minutes of the opening 45 to play, after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/surnovska-martina/KKQiQf9R/"]Martina Surnovska[/a] slotted a neat through ball to[b] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/fabova-klaudia/2DD4HmAt/"]Klaudia Fabova[/a], who beat the advancing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/koivunen-anna/bFVBbVAQ/"]Anna Koivunen[/a][/b] to get Slovakia on the board.[/p][embed guid="046c76b2-0afc-4503-a2a0-ecb1e957acc0" url="https://x.com/HelmaritFI/status/2044103809652154774" social-type="twitter" /][p]In the second half, the game was essentially won and loss within an eight-minute spell.[/p][p]Helmarit again struck approaching midway through the half, winning possession back when Slovakia were flooding forward and hitting them on the break. [b]Engman received an accurate pass when bursting down the left wing, and her cross was headed home powerfully by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nystrom-paulina/UsrEfMf4/"]Paulina Nystrom[/a] for her first international goal.[/b][/p][p]However, the home side were pegged back, as seconds after the restart, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/skorvankova-dominika/OUCZHb6S/"]Dominika Skorvankova[/a] was brought down in the area by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/siren-oona/8WgcrbY3/"]Oona Siren[/a], and [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hmirova-patricia/WpcEprgQ/"]Patricia Hmirova[/a] did the honours from the penalty spot.[/b][/p][p]Finland finally put the game to bed 15 minutes from time, thanks to the "other" Nystrom. [b]Captain [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/nystrom-eva/024T4pJi/"]Eva Nystrom[/a] rose highest at a corner, and when he header was blocked, she latched onto the rebound and steered the ball into the bottom corner.[/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/finland-EPXH92YE/slovakia-6yMSOPh6/?mid=S0c2ndw0"]The 4-2 victory[/a] takes Finland to six points, though they still trail Portugal on goal difference. The Portuguese have the chance to retake the three-point lead against Latvia later this evening, while next up for the Finnish women is a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/finland-EPXH92YE/latvia-b5PNuOS4/?mid=vJ3Iv5yi"]trip to Latvia[/a] on Saturday 18th.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/soccer/world/world-cup-women/"]Follow all the 2027 Women's World Cup qualifiers on Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]