On August 30th, Finland defeated Great Britain 109-79 in Tampere in the group stage of the 2025 European Championship, securing their second consecutive victory . Throughout the game, core player Lauri Markkanen performed amazingly, scoring 43 points and dishing out four steals.

Although Finland maintained a lead in the first half, Great Britain remained close. In a crucial moment, Markkanen hit a four-point play just before the end of the second quarter, extending the lead and completely igniting the home team. Finland then firmly controlled the game. Although Great Britain's shooting percentage increased to 47% in the third quarter , they were unable to contain Markkanen's offensive firepower.

Markkanen shot 13- for- 22 from the field, including 7- for- 13 from three-point range , showing impressive efficiency. Veteran Sasu Sarin also provided a key scoring force, finishing with 21 points, going 7 - for - 9 from three-point range. All 12 Finnish players scored, while England's Luke Nelson, with just 13 points , was unable to prevent a loss.

With this decisive victory, Finland maintains their undefeated group stage record and will next face a desperately needed first win against Montenegro. Meanwhile, England will be looking to avoid a third consecutive defeat in a head-to-head clash with Sweden. As the tournament progresses, Finland, under the leadership of Markkanen, has shown increasing competitiveness, becoming a force to be reckoned with in this tournament.