Republic of Ireland will be looking for their first win of the UEFA Nations League campaign when they take on Finland at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki tomorrow night. 

The match, set to kick-off at 7.45pm (9.45pm local time), sees Ireland Head Coach Heimir Hallgrímsson looking to get his first victory on the board when they face the Finns on Thursday, October 10. 

Finland will also be looking for their first win of the campaign after their defeats to Greece and England in September with over 1000 Irish supporters set to travel to Helsinki for the match tomorrow. 

Match Details

Fixture: Finland v Ireland
Competition: UEFA Nations League
Kick-off: 7.45pm (9.45pm local)
Location: Helsinki Olympic Stadium
Date: Thursday, October 10
TV: RTE

Match Officials

Referee: Aleksandar Stavrev (MKD)
Assistant Referee 1: Dejan Kostadinov (MKD)
Assistant Referee 2: Goce Petreski (MKD)
Fourth Official: Igor Stojchevski (MKD)
Video Assistant Referee: Mario Zebec (CRO)
Assistant Video Assistant Referee: Duje Strukan (CRO)

Team News

All 23 players trained at the Olympic Stadium for MD-1 training this morning with Ireland Head Coach Heimir Hallgrímsson set to select his starting XI from a fully fit squad. 

MD-1 Press Conference v Finland | Head Coach & Nathan Collins

Republic of Ireland Head Coach Heimir Hallgrímsson

"I wouldn’t say a losing streak, but if you are in a downward spiral it’s good to do something different in a different country, a different environment, shake things up.

"The players are staying together much more and are closer, that’s a good team-building thing, to travel and stay somewhere else. 

"We have just been continuing trying to implement the principles we'd like to have in play, showing them the good stuff from our last camp and the bad things as well, just trying to learn from the last camp and then on to this one.

"I feel better this camp but that's mainly what we have been doing – we had maybe five meetings, we are doing more talking than training."

Republic of Ireland defender Nathan Collins

“Obviously, it’s a huge moment for me and my family. I probably didn’t take in the moment as much as I should have, but that’s just the way I am," he says of the captain’s role which he also filled at home to Greece in the last game.

“My family did, I think they were crying in the stand, honestly, it means a lot to me and my family. I think in this camp, it’s nearly easy being a captain of this team as there are so many leaders.

"It's been very a very positive week, we've had a lot of meetings, we've had to, it's part and parcel of international football.

"I think the work we have done on the pitch has been very productive, we're looking forward to go now and we have a good feeling this week."

WATCH ON FAITV HERE

Match Facts - Finland v Ireland

- After failing to win any of their first five meetings with the Republic of Ireland between 1949 and 2002 (D2 L3), Finland have since won back-to-back games against the Boys in Green, both 1-0 in the 2020-21 UEFA Nations League.
- This will be Republic of Ireland’s third ever away game against Finland, winning 3-0 in August 2002 under Mick McCarthy before losing 0-1 in October 2020 under Stephen Kenny.
- Finland have won both of their last two home games in all competitions (4-0 v Northern Ireland, 2-1 v Estonia) and could win three in a row for the first time since seven such straight victories between November 2017 and September 2019.
- Republic of Ireland are winless in all eight of their previous away games in the UEFA Nations League (D3 L5), though they have led in their last two such matches (1-1 v Ukraine, 1-2 v Scotland) having failed to do so in any of the previous six (D2 L4).
- Republic of Ireland have failed to score in each of their last three matches, their longest streak since seven straight goalless games between September and November 2020; in fact, the Boys in Green have failed to score in 12 of their 18 UEFA Nations League matches.
- Heimir Hallgrímsson has lost both of his first two games in charge of the Republic of Ireland (0-2 vs England and Greece) and could become the first manager to lose each of their first three competitive games in charge of the nation.
- Fredrik Jensen scored the only goal in both of Finland’s wins in the UEFA Nations League against the Republic of Ireland in 2020, while each of his last three goals for his nation have come in Helsinki.
- Republic of Ireland’s Evan Ferguson has scored (2 goals) or assisted (1 assist) in three of his six starts in competitive action for the Boys in Green, though his last such start came in November last year.  

Republic of Ireland Squad - Finland & Greece

Goalkeepers: Caoimhin Kelleher (Liverpool), Mark Travers (AFC Bournemouth), Max O'Leary (Bristol City)
Defenders: Festy Ebosele (Watford, on loan from Udinese), Andrew Omobamidele (Nottingham Forest), Nathan Collins (Brentford), Mark McGuinness (Luton Town), Dara O'Shea (Ipswich Town), Liam Scales (Celtic), Robbie Brady (Preston North End).
Midfielders: Josh Cullen (Burnley), Jason Knight (Bristol City), Jayson Molumby (West Bromwich Albion), Finn Azaz (Middlesbrough), Jack Taylor (Ipswich Town), Jamie McGrath (Aberdeen).
Forwards: Adam Idah (Celtic), Evan Ferguson (Brighton and Hove Albion), Chiedozie Ogbene (Ipswich Town), Kasey McAteer (Leicester City), Sammie Szmodics (Ipswich Town), Mikey Johnston (West Bromwich Albion), Troy Parrott (AZ Alkmaar).

UEFA Nations League - Fixtures 

10/10 - Finland v Ireland, Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, 7.45pm (9.45pm local time)
13/10 - Greece v Ireland, Georgios Karaiskakis Stadium, Athens, 7.45pm (9.45pm local time)