MONTREAL – Defender Jukka Raitala has been selected by the Finland national team for two international friendly games, against Romania on June 5 in Ploiesti, followed by Belarus on June 9 at Ratinan Stadion in Tampere, Finland.
He will be available for the Impact’s game against the Houston Dynamo this Saturday at Stade Saputo, before departing to join his national team.
Raitala, 29, has played 38 games with the Finland national team, making his senior debut came on February 4, 2009, in a friendly match against Japan. He has appeared in several World Cup and Euro qualifying games and took part in three Baltic Cup games. He has also been part of the Finland youth system, representing his country at the U17, U19, and U21 levels, and was named the Finland U21 Player of the Year in 2009.
