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by Sylvain Jamet
In the second part to 'My Euro trip..female football fan Sylvain Jamet looks forward to another couple of days in Helsinki were he traveled to watch his beloved France. Here he talks about the England game, breakfast and much more..
Part 2
It is now time to see the England – Russia game, at the Finnair Stadium, Helsinki. We meet with all the other England supporters and player's families and there are loads of them. It is very impressive to see how many of them are going to tournaments and are behind the team everywhere around the world.
The game in itself is a very thrilling one with 5 goals and some quality football played, although Russia’s single-dimensional game plan of long ball hit and run behind England's center backs, seems a bit basic.
Basic but this tactic brings two early goals due to U11 schoolgirl defending by England, particularly on Russia’s second goal where both center backs didn’t cover themselves in glory. The end is near for England but the brilliant England fights back into action with goals from Carney, Aluko and a 45 yard act of individual brilliance by Kelly Smith. A world class player that does not get enough recognition. In the end a brilliant win for England and the supporters carried on celebrating with the players back at their hotel...
...an invitation I declined as (being French) it would feel a bit weird!
Day 2
...and I wake up early to go to the team France hotel : the Holiday Inn somewhere in Helsinki's suburb. Thanks to one of the player's father who told me the location I find my way easily, using the tramline and arrive right on time to collect my tickets. The player's father is also there to collect his tickets.
Meanwhile the whole France squad and staff pass by as they board their coach to go to their training session in preparation of the Norway game. I end up getting a pair of tickets for tonight’s Finland v Ukraine game at the Olympic Stadium courtesy again of the FFF (French Football Federation).
As I am about to leave, the England kit man arrives to load his truck with all the stuff needed for their next game! Someone remarks that the poor England team had to move hotels every game while teams like Germany will not have to change location for most of the tournament...a bit unfair indeed. I am then going back into town to check into the Scandic Marina where I will spend my next two nights a big step in hotel quality from the previous night!
Spent most of the day sightseeing and shopping in town and then meeting Jo for the Finland - Ukraine game. The stand we were sitting at was quite old with wooden benches! but the view was great.
The game itself was not the most competitive with both teams already knowing their future before the game but the goal that sealed it was quite funny. Typical Central Nervous System overload failure : too much information coming from the brain to the foot resulting in a very weak backpass from a Finnish defender, intercepted by a Ukrainian forward.
In the end, it was a good game to watch as I don’t get the chance to see national teams more than once or twice a season.
The evening was spent eating and drinking with English supporters and watching Arsenal's Arsene Wenger being sent to the stand in a live game down the local Irish pub.
Day 3 had a nice breakfast
..in the hotel, managed to get a plug adaptator from the desk, as my English laptop had an non compatible one. Logged on and checked what was up with my friends then went into town to prepare mentally for the BIG game of this trip. France vs Norway. A make or break game for the French side who have never managed to go through the 2nd round of any international tournament and were under pressure after their 5-1 defeat from Germany.
A very tense game indeed with both teams trying to impose their game on the other. Norway scored early and France chased the game until the equalizer that came from a clever Camille Abily shot. In the last 10 minutes it ended up as a stalemate with both team going through, the French team kept the ball in defense and the Norwegians left them to it.
The aftermath of the game was spent with all the other French supporters waiting for the girls, taking pictures of them and making plans for a possible come back for the semi-final but it wasn’t to be as the girls lost on penalties to Holland in the quarter finals.
Aurevoir.
Part 1
I had earmarked the weekend to enjoy Euro 2009 in Helsinki as there were a few games being played there, including France (my country) and England (the country I live in).
I had booked the weekend to stay at a hotel I had previously used for another trip to Helsinki. I enjoyed the comfort and quality but had to get a last minute room for my Friday night so I ended up booking a relatively cheap hostel in the same area.
The Journey
Friday the 28th of August 4.30 am,
Waking up to prepare my bag and rush to South Ealing train station to get the first tube to Heathrow Terminal 3 to meet mon ami Jo who is flying with me today. At the last minute we decide to share a hostel room for the first night, before we go our separate ways. So all my careful planning went out of the window for the first day!
I am used to travelling around the world to watch women’s football, so it will be a nice change to have a companion with me.
We meet in the departure lounge and as we have booked separately, were not sitting next to each other with the flight being quite fulland it is not possible to swap places. Not the best start of the day. The aircraft is quite nice actually a modern A320 which is a change from the old MD80 you get on a well known Scandinavian airline.
We get off the plane and go through customs quickly and because we did not check any luggage ( always a nightmare to wait for to find out it has been lost or delayed ), we get out and get the first bus to the center of the town.
Off the bus and a loooong 25 minute walk to the hostel. I decided to lead the way having been in the city a couple of years before.
We did manage to find it after what it felt like a very long trek. This will be the last time during the trip I will walk around Helsinki as the local metro and tramways shall thereafter be my preferred mode of transport.
Arrivato
We check in get our transport pass ( which allows you free travel around the city ) and even get a funny comment that married couples don’t need to register both persons’ ID and address. You wonder why people assume a guy and girl sharing a room are automatically a married couple??
While we were checking in someone started shouting in French behind me noticing my France shirt with a French player's name on it. It was actually the father of one of the players who was staying in Finland, for the duration of the tournament and was couch surfing to save money, very clever indeed.
He showed me on a map the hotel where the French team was staying, which would be very useful the next day. Jo and I went to our room which was very basic with the shower and bathrooms somewhere on the same floor. Being used to an en-suite bathroom and toilet made me realize how spoiled I am with my hotel discounts lol !!
We have a few hours of sleep in the hostel before moving towards the stadium as Jo needs to collect the game tickets from the England party.
We decide to meet up for a beer or two before the game with the other England supporters but miss the tramway stop and end up eating a Pizza for a very expensive price. The British Pound's weakness against the Euro burns a deep hole in the wallet!
..to be continued
Come back to read about Sylvain's experience of the England -Russia game, sleeping in luxury and watching the hosts play!
aurevoir
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author's, and not necessarily those of footballgirl or www.footballgirl.com
