ARMENIA, FINLAND DRAW 0-0 IN A EURO 2008 QUALIFIER
Associated Press Worldstream
October 7, 2006 Saturday 7:06 PM GMT
Armenia held Finland to a goalless draw Saturday, earning its first
point in 2008 European Championship qualifying while the Finns settled
for a second straight tie.
The result left Finland with five points from three games while the
hosts remained at the bottom of Group A with one point.
Finland controlled the pace of the game and had its first scoring
opportunity in the 20th minute when Jonatan Johansson drove a low
show shot toward the right corner before Armenian goalkeeper Gevorg
Kasparov thwarted the chance with diving block.
A minute later, Finnish goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen denied Yegishe
Melikian on a counterattack.
Finland had three near misses in the second half. Kasparov blocked
Shefki Kuqi's low shot in the 54th minute and fisted away Mika
Vayrynen's header off a corner kick in the 75th.
Nine minutes later he blocked Mikael Forssell's header off Jari
Litmanen's pass from the left.
Finland's final chance came in the 85th minute, but Forssell's shot
from the edge of the box was cleared by Kasparov.
Armenia next travels to Serbia while Finland goes to play Kazakhstan,
both on Wednesday.
Lineups:
Armenia: Gevorg Kasparov; Sargis Hovsepian, Robert Arzumanian,
Karen Dokhoian, Yegishe Melikian, Armen Tigranian, Karen Aleksanian
(Aram Hakobian, 54), Arman Karamian (Aghvan Mkrtchian, 45), Armen
Shehgeldian, Edgar Manucharian (Ara Hakobian, 78).
Finland: Jussi Jaaskelainen, Petri Pasanen, Sami Hyypia, Mika Vayrynen
(Mika Nurmela, 73), Hannu Tihinen, Jari Litmanen, Joonas Kolkka,
Shefki Kuqi (Mikael Forssell, 66), Noni Kallio, Jonatan Johansson
(Aki Riihilahti, 83), Markus Heikkinen.
Associated Press Worldstream
October 7, 2006 Saturday 7:06 PM GMT
Armenia held Finland to a goalless draw Saturday, earning its first
point in 2008 European Championship qualifying while the Finns settled
for a second straight tie.
The result left Finland with five points from three games while the
hosts remained at the bottom of Group A with one point.
Finland controlled the pace of the game and had its first scoring
opportunity in the 20th minute when Jonatan Johansson drove a low
show shot toward the right corner before Armenian goalkeeper Gevorg
Kasparov thwarted the chance with diving block.
A minute later, Finnish goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen denied Yegishe
Melikian on a counterattack.
Finland had three near misses in the second half. Kasparov blocked
Shefki Kuqi's low shot in the 54th minute and fisted away Mika
Vayrynen's header off a corner kick in the 75th.
Nine minutes later he blocked Mikael Forssell's header off Jari
Litmanen's pass from the left.
Finland's final chance came in the 85th minute, but Forssell's shot
from the edge of the box was cleared by Kasparov.
Armenia next travels to Serbia while Finland goes to play Kazakhstan,
both on Wednesday.
Lineups:
Armenia: Gevorg Kasparov; Sargis Hovsepian, Robert Arzumanian,
Karen Dokhoian, Yegishe Melikian, Armen Tigranian, Karen Aleksanian
(Aram Hakobian, 54), Arman Karamian (Aghvan Mkrtchian, 45), Armen
Shehgeldian, Edgar Manucharian (Ara Hakobian, 78).
Finland: Jussi Jaaskelainen, Petri Pasanen, Sami Hyypia, Mika Vayrynen
(Mika Nurmela, 73), Hannu Tihinen, Jari Litmanen, Joonas Kolkka,
Shefki Kuqi (Mikael Forssell, 66), Noni Kallio, Jonatan Johansson
(Aki Riihilahti, 83), Markus Heikkinen.