“It’s a different game for me, because for the first time I am going to play against the country I was born in. But I think after the referee blows the whistle I’ll forget about it. I am playing for Finland and I am going to give everything to win the game,” Aleksey Eryomenko said.

Aleksey did not play in the first match with the Russians, which Finland lost 3-0 in Moscow, through injury. Second time around, there were no thoughts in the 26-year-old’s mind about missing the game against the country where he was born.

“No, No, I haven’t even thought about that, because I played for Finland for already four or five years and I like it here. I have no choice – I have to play,” Aleksey Eryomenko said.

Although Aleksey, who has already scored 13 goals for Finland, is proud to represent his adopted country, he still talks fondly about Russia, the country where he currently plays his club football.

“I’ve already lived here for 15, 16 years. I moved from Russia when I was seven years and I moved back to Russia four years ago. I went to Finnish school, and never went to school in Russia. I feel half-half. I don’t feel more Russian or more Finnish,” Aleksey Eryomenko said.

Aleksey’s brother Roman also plays for the Finnish national team, however it’s unlikely that Roman has any memories of living in Russia as he was so young when he left.

However, Aleksey doesn’t think it has been easier for Roman to assimilate into Finnish life, as before moving abroad in his late teens, the younger of the Eryomenko brothers had practically lived his whole life in Finland.

“He was also born to in Russia, but he was younger when we moved to Finland. But I think it’s the same,” he said.

Aleksey and Roman won’t be the only ones wanting a Finnish victory on Wednesday. The 26-year-old says their father will also be supporting his adopted homeland.

“I think it’ll be Finland, because both of his sons are playing here,” Aleksey Eryomenko said.

There will be no questions about mixed loyalty surrounding the Eryomenko brothers, if they take to the field against Russia, and they will be doing all that they can to put a big dent in the country of their birth’s hopes of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup.

Finland clutching at straws?

Russia can move within a point of group leaders Germany with a victory against Finland and that all-important automatic place to South Africa, but the Finns have proved to be tough proposition on home turf.

“It’s our chance to put thing right. And I think we are capable of putting a much better performance than we did in Moscow [Russia won 3-0]. Yes, I think the belief is there that we can do it. And we need to do it, because if we don’t win this game there’s only a small chance of fulfilling our dreams to go to South Africa”, Finns’ veteran Samy Hyppia said.

Russia’s coach Guus Hiddink agreed with Hyppia, saying the pressure will be on the home side during the Helsinki game as the Finns are two points behind Russia after five games.

“You [Finland] have to win this game – then you are fighting at least for the second spot. And if we get the result… we make our gap bigger – that would be the perfect scenario,” he said.

Hiddink has no injury worries ahead of the crucial game, with captain Sergey Semak back in action. The only player they’ll miss is disqualified fullback Aleksander Anyukov. Lokomotiv’s Renat Yanbaev is the most likely candidate to replace him.

Russia biggest star Andrey Arshavin is expected in the starting eleven, but Finland’s boss Stewart Baxter says he doesn’t need any special plan to spot the Arsenal striker.

“Arshavin scored a marvelous goal against us in Moscow. He’s a good player. But Russia has many players. If I was only looking at the Russian, I think the players would hold four hour meetings of just how we can stop them. We intend also to play. That could also be one way to stop him – hopefully, he’ll be chasing us a little bit, more than he did in Moscow anyway,” Stewart Baxter said.

A full house is expected in Helsinki with Russian fans buying out the quota of 5,000 tickets for away fans.