07.04.2016, 09:35
Tamminen's goals sink Luxembourg's EHF EURO hopes

REVIEW: The Riihimäki Cocks' left wing made all the difference in Finland's 28:23 EHF EURO 2018 play-off win against Luxembourg, granting his team a brilliant position ahead of the second leg on Saturday

Tamminen's goals sink Luxembourg's EHF EURO hopes

Left wing Teemu Tamminen made all the difference when Finland met Luxembourg in the EHF EURO 2018 play-offs on Thursday. 

The Riihimäki Cocks player scored eleven goals in Finland's 28:23 (17:14) away win and made sure that his team has already more than one foot in the door to the EHF EURO 2018 Qualification.

Luxembourg need a small miracle on Saturday in the return leg, if they want to proceed from the play-offs.

Tamminen scored his first goal after six minutes of play, granting Finland with a 4:3 lead. However, goals were almost scored one for one at both ends of the court at this stage and in the 27th minute everything was still level at 14:14.

However, Finland then exploited several missed attempts of Luxembourg and three consecutive goals - two of them by the game's top scorer Tamminen - granted them a 17:14 lead at the break.

Luexembourg came back storming in the second half and reduced the gap to 17:18 after 35 minutes, but four of the next five goals were scored by Finland, again with Tamminen putting his name twice on the score sheet, and when Finland led 22:18 after 41 minutes, the hosts' resistance was broken.

The return leg will take place in Karjaa at 16:00 hrs local time on Saturday, 9 April. It will be broadcast and streamed live on Finland's TV2.

The aggregate winners of the play-offs will reach the EHF EURO 2018 Qualification. The qualification draw takes place on 14 April in Dubrovnik and will be streamed live on the EHF EURO Youtube channel.

TEXT: EHF / ts