sportskeeda
A qualifying match for the WORLD CUP was interrupted due to a medical emergency in the crowd.
Finland was leading 2-1 against Poland when officials chose to suspend the game.
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Finland took an early lead when Joel Pohjanpalo successfully converted a penalty.
The advantage was further increased in the second half with a goal from Benjamin Kallman in the 64th minute.
Arsenal’s Jakub Kiwior quickly responded for Poland by scoring soon after.
However, just as Poland sought to build momentum, the match was paused.
In the 73rd minute, officials instructed the players to head to the locker room after a fan was reported to have collapsed in the stands.
Medical personnel responded swiftly to the situation, resulting in a significant delay.
After a 30-minute interruption, play resumed at midnight local time.
The Finland X account tweeted: “The patient is being transferred to the hospital. First aid continues.”
“The teams have reached an agreement to resume the match after a brief warm-up around 00:00.”
Sport.pl reporter Marcin Jaz remarked: “Great respect for the medical team, rescuers, and doctors from both teams. They are the true heroes of this evening.”
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Upon resuming, the match had eleven minutes of added time.
Nonetheless, Finland held onto their lead, securing vital three points with no further goals scored.
This win places Finland at the top of the table with seven points from four matches.
Poland drops to third place with six points from three games.
The Netherlands stands in second place, also with six points but only from two matches played.
After the final whistle, the Finland account tweeted: “Finland is back on the path to victory. Our thoughts are with the individual who suffered a seizure in the stands, as well as their family and loved ones.”
“In moments like this, football takes a backseat.”
This match marked a significant moment in Poland’s campaign, being their first real challenge since Robert Lewandowski announced his boycott of the national team.
The iconic striker, 36, stated last week that he would not play for Poland until manager Michal Probierz is replaced.
This decision followed Probierz’s unexpected decision to remove Lewandowski from the captaincy and appoint Piotr Zielinski instead.
Polish fans appeared to rally behind Lewandowski in Helsinki, reportedly chanting “Probierz, Probierz, f*** off!”.
