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Litmanen out to worry Wales

Finland forward Jari Litmanen has been named in a 19-man squad to take on Wales next Saturday.

Positive mood 
The Finnish forward has just completed a move from Liverpool FC to AFC Ajax, the club he starred for in seven seasons up until 1999. Finland coach Antti Muurinen will hope the transfer will mean Litmanen is in a positive frame of mind for the match in Helsinki.

Italy waiting 
The game marks the start of Finland's qualification campaign with Portugal the target in summer 2004. They have been drawn in Group 9, along with Italy, Azerbaijan and Yugoslavia. Finland will hope to bounce back in style after the 3-0 defeat by the Republic of Ireland earlier this month.

Giggs a threat
"To play in Portugal is of course a dream for us", said Muurinen. "But in order to do so we must perform much better than against Ireland where we were far from our best. In Ryan Giggs, Wales have perhaps the best winger in the world, and our road to success will certainly depend on our ability to limit his actions."

Finland squad 
Jaaskelainen, Niemi, Enckelman, Tihinen, Kuivasto, Hyypia, Hietanen, Saarinen, Pasanen, Nurmela, Litmanen, Riihilahti Kopteff, Tainio, Ilola, Kollkka, Johansson, Kuqi, Kottila

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