Helsinki: The high-scoring Netherlands can virtually secure a spot in next year's European Championship with another victory against Finland on Tuesday.
The top-ranked Dutch are coming off their biggest win ever after demolishing San Marino 11-0 on Friday for their seventh victory in as many games in Group E.
The World Cup runners-up are six points clear of second-place Sweden with three rounds remaining and with a vastly superior goal difference. While Sweden would theoretically remain in contention for the group win with a high-scoring display of their own against San Marino on Tuesday, the Swedes are more focused on finishing as the best group runners-up to earn an automatic berth to the tournament in Ukraine and Poland.
Captain Mark van Bommel said the Netherlands team has to put its rout of San Marino behind them.
"Against Finland it is a challenge to refocus after all the euphoria," he said. "Everybody thinks it is going to be easy, but it is not. We still have to play a couple of matches to qualify for the European Championship."
Coach Bert van Marwijk will again be missing midfielders Nigel de Jong and Rafael van der Vaart as well as winger Arjen Robben.
He is expected to again start Klaas-Jan Huntelaar at centre-forward and Robin van Persie on the right wing. The pair slotted easily into the makeshift formation against San Marino, with Van Persie scoring four and Huntelaar two.
Huntelaar's brace made him the topscorer in Euro 2012 qualifiers, with 10 goals in seven matches.
Finland are coming off a 4-1 win over Moldova, which has boosted their hopes of avenging a 2-1 loss in Rotterdam last year.
"It will be a nice game," Finland midfielder Kasper Hamalainen said. "If you look back at last year's game against Holland, we actually played pretty good. We had the chance of scoring 2-2. They will want to have the ball but we will also want to have the ball."
Sweden have to recover from a 2-1 defeat at Hungary on Friday, which ended any realistic hopes of winning the group. Sweden captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic tried to boost the team's spirits by inviting the entire squad to his house in southern Sweden for dinner on Saturday.
While the Swedes displayed some uncharacteristic defensive lapses in Hungary, they are unlikely to face any problems at San Marino.
"It's easy to underestimate San Marino, which we mustn't do," Ibrahimovic said. "It's not about us having to score 11 goals like Holland did. But we have to go there and win the game."
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