Early Sami Hyypia Red Card Leads to Moldova’s 2-0 Upset Of Finland

Sami Hyypia’s 36th minute red card may have ended any chance Finland had to qualify for Euro 2012. The Finnish captain dismissal set the stage for a surprise 2-0 victory by European minnows Moldova, a nation that had failed to win a match during qualifying for the 2010 World Cup. But on Friday, second half goals from Alexandru Suvorov and Anatolij Doros - recorded four minutes apart - gave the Moldovans a 2-0 win.

Moldova was one of two nations in Group E from whom the potential qualifiers were expected to get full points (the other: San Marino). Finland’s loss means they will likely have to make-up those three points against Sweden, the nation they would have been hoping to beat for second place.

For Moldova, it was their first win in a competitive match since November 2007, when they beat Hungary 3-0. On Tuesday, Moldova travels to Budapest for their second qualifying match.

Hyppia will be suspended for Finland’s Tuesday match in the Netherlands.

Goals:

69’ - Alexandru Suvorov 1

73’ - Anatolij Doros 1

Discipline:

36’ - Sami Hypppia (Red)

70’ - Igor Tigirlas (Yellow)

Lineups:

Moldova: Namasco, Epureanu, Bulgaru, Savinov, Cebotaru, Borets, Bordian, Josan (Suvorov 58’), Fruza, Tigirlas (Bugaev 69’), Doros (Andronic 75’)

Finland: Fredrikson, Pasanen, Hyypia, Meikkinen, Moisander, R. Eremenko, Sparv, A, Eremenko (Forsell 81’), Prokara (Vayrynen), Litmanen (Hamalainen 46’), Johansson

Goals

1

Anatolij Doros, Moldova
Alexandru Suvorov, Moldova