Olympic Stadium stages hosts' opener

Just as in their final tournament debut four years ago, Finland are involved in the official opening game. In 2005 they lost 3-2 to hosts England in a thrilling game in front of a competition record crowd of 29,092 at the City of Manchester Stadium. This time they are the home team against Denmark at Helsinki's Olympic Stadium.

• The current record crowd for a home Finland women's match is certain to be beaten; it stands at 5,890 for a FIFA Women's World Cup qualifier against Spain at the Olympic Stadium on 30 October 2005.

• Since qualifying, Denmark's leading scorer Merete Pedersen has retired from international football and the former Mia Olsen has become Mia Brogaard after marrying.

• Similarly, Laura Kalmari is now known as Laura Österberg Kalmari.

• In the tournament four years ago Finland and Denmark were both in Group A. After losing to England, Finland had a 0-0 draw with Sweden, while Denmark drew 1-1 with the Swedes before coming from behind to beat the hosts 2-1.

• The pair then met in Blackpool and Finland raced into a 2-0 lead with Kalmari scoring on six minutes and Heidi Kackur adding another ten minutes later. Cathrine Paaske Sørensen pulled one back for Denmark just before the break but Finland held on to win 2-1 and go through in second place behind Sweden, though they were to lose 4-1 to Germany in the semi-finals in Preston.

• The lineups for that meeting between these nations on 11 June 2005 were:
Finland: Satu Kunnas, Petra Vaelma, Sanna Valkonen, Tiina Salmén, Eveliina Sarapää, Jessica Thorn (Sanna Malaska), Anne Mäkinen, Anna-Kaisa Rantanen, Jessica Julin, Laura Kalmari (Minna Mustonen), Heidi Kackur (Heidi Lindström).
Denmark: Tine Cederkvist, Katrine Pedersen, Gitte Andersen, Dorte Dalum Jensen, Mia Brogaard (Helle Nielsen), Louise Hansen (Tanja Mejer Christensen), Cathrine Paaske Sørensen, Anne Dot Eggers Nielsen, Nanna Johansen (Stine Kjær Jensen), Merete Pedersen, Johanna Maria Rasmussen.

• Overall these nations have met in 33 official women's internationals, Denmark winning 25 and Finland five with three draws. Denmark lead on the goal count 82 to 15 and were unbeaten in their first 22 meetings between 28 July 1974 (a 5-0 win in Maarianhamin) and 1 June 2000 (a 2-1 loss).

• In Finland they have played six times in competitive qualifying matches. Finland have two wins and Denmark three, including the only previous Helsinki meeting on 13 October 2001 when they won a FIFA Women's World Cup fixture 6-0.

• However, since Denmark beat Finland 6-0 away and 4-2 at home in that 2003 qualifying campaign, the gap has narrowed. Denmark won 4-1 in the 2005 Algarve Cup that March in Ferreiras before Finland took revenge in Blackpool.

• They were drawn together in 2007 Women's World Cup qualifying and Finland won 2-1 in Tampere before Denmark prevailed 1-0 in the return in Viborg through a 55th-minute Maiken Pape goal in front of 9,337 fans to pip their rivals to China. In March 2008 Denmark beat Finland 1-0 in the Algarve Cup in Lagos.

• Prior to their 2005 fixture Finland and Denmark had played in four separate European qualifying competitions. Denmark have five wins, there have been two draws and Finland gained their first victory in the most recent meeting on 1 June 2000, a 2-1 home win.

• Whereas Finland did not qualify for the final tournament until 2005, Denmark have only once failed to be among the last eight in UEFA European competition, in 1987. Their best performances were reaching the semi-finals in 1984, 1991, 1993 and 2001. In 1991 and 1993 they respectively beat Italy and Germany for third place.

• Finland were involved in the first match in the history of the original European competition, losing 6-0 at home to eventual winners Sweden in Vammala on 18 August 1982.

• Finland also took part in the first qualifier for the inaugural UEFA European Women's Championship, losing 1-0 at home to Norway in Varkaus on 9 September 1989.

• Denmark have also qualified for four of the five FIFA Women's World Cups, reaching the quarter-finals in 1991 and 1995 but falling in the 1999 and 2007 group stages.

• Finland qualified automatically for these finals as hosts but Denmark were given a tough time by Ukraine before winning Group 5. They won their first six games, defeating Portugal, Scotland and Slovakia home and away. But on 22 June 2008 the Danes lost 1-0 in Ukraine, meaning they had to beat their rivals on 1 October to top the pool. They did so thanks to Merete Pedersen's 63rd-minute header that earned a 1-0 victory in front of 9,155 supporters in Viborg.

• Denmark's qualifying record was P8 W7 D0 L1 F23 A5 PTS21.

• This is the tenth continental women's competition and the seventh since it officially became the UEFA European Women's Championship.

• For the 1997 finals an eight-team group stage was introduced and for 2009 it has been expanded to 12 nations.