Birmingham City’s striker Mikael Forssell, and Crystal Palace's Jonatan Johansson have been named by Finland Coach Jyrki Heliskoski to join the squad for the World Cup Europe Zone Group 1 Home games against Romania on October the 8th and the Czech Republic on October the 12th.

Forssell, who bagged a hat-trick for his country in their last International fixture against Macedonia, will join Charlton Athletic’s Jonatan Johansson and Henri Scheweleff from Tampere United in the choice up-front.

Crystal Palace’s Aki Riihilahti is likely to lead the midfield with Lecce’s Alexei Eremenko. Liverpool’s Champions League winning defender Sami Hyypia will marshall the defence with Toni Kallio and Luton town’s Markus Heikkinen.

Eremenko, who plays with Italian Serie A club Lecce will be hoping to add to his goal tally, which currently stands at an impressive 7 goals. That is equal third in the Europe Zone, only 1 goal behind Portugal's Pauleta, and 2 goals behind current top-scorer Jan Koller from the Czech Republic, for a midfielder that is highly impressive!

Finland are fourth in Group 1 Europe Zone with 16 points from 10 games and are not in with a chance of qualifying for next year's World Cup finals in Germany, but will be no soft option for either of the teams facing them in the coming matches.

Finland squad (team to be chosen from):

Goalkeepers:
Jussi Jaaskelainen (Bolton Wanderers), Mikko Kaven (Tampere United).

Defenders:
Markus Heikkinen (Luton Town), Sami Hyypia (Liverpool), Toni Kallio (Molde), Toni Kuivasto (Djurgarden), Petri Pasanen (Werder Bremen), Janne Saarinen (Kobenhavn), Hannu Tihinen (Anderlecht), Ari Nyman (Inter Turku) and Jukka Sauso (Orgryte).

Midfielders:
Alexei Eremenko (Lecce), Peter Kopteff (Viking Stavanger), Pekka Lagerblom (Werder Bremen), Aki Riihilahti (Crystal Palace), Daniel Sjolund (Djurgarden), Paulus Roiha (Brugge), Jarkko Wiss (Tampere United), Joonas Kolkka (Haag), Teemu Tainio (Tottenham Hotspur).

Forwards:
Mikael Forssell (Birmingham City), Jonatan Johansson (Charlton Athletic) and Henri Scheweleff (Tampere United).

(© 2005 worldcuplatest.com)

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