Sports
PERNILE Harder’s second-half goal ensured Denmark kept their hopes of progressing from Group B alive as they overcame a determined Finland at Euro 2022.
With both nations seeking to respond to heavy opening-game defeats and reignite their hopes of reaching the quarter-finals, it was the 2017 finalists who deservedly prevailed at Stadium MK.
Finland were later knocked out of the tournament following group leaders Germany’s 2-0 win over Spain, which set up a winner-takes-all meeting between Denmark and Spain on Saturday.
Chelsea forward Harder eventually ended Finland’s resistance in the 72nd minute, heading in from close range after Karen Holmgaard’s attempt had rebounded off the crossbar.
Lars Sondergaard’s dominant side had found themselves frustrated in their efforts to force a breakthrough.
Forward Nadia Nadim went closest in the first half as she directed Sara Thrige’s low cross towards goal – but Finland goalkeeper Tinja-Riikka Korpela managed to prevent the ball from trickling into the bottom corner.
A slick attacking move also resulted in Katrine Veje’s low drive from the edge of the penalty area being saved by Korpela before the interval, while the Finnish skipper also denied Holmgaard midway through the second period.
Finland did not register an attempt on target until the 60th minute, however they were prevented from delivering a dramatic late twist as Lene Christensen pushed substitute Jenny-Julia Danielsson’s strike over the bar in stoppage time.
The odds of a successful group campaign were already against these two nations before the opening round of fixtures, when Denmark were thrashed 4-0 by eight-time winners Germany and tournament favourites Spain recovered from an early setback to overcome Finland 4-1.
With victory crucial to both sides, Denmark offered the greater attacking threat from the start but they were initially unable to make their superiority count despite 10 first-half attempts.
By far their best opportunity fell to Nadim after 12 minutes, but the 34-year-old – who fled Afghanistan as a child refugee more than 20 years ago – could not get enough power behind her first-time shot, allowing the busy Korpela enough time to scramble across her goal to save.
Nadim was again unable to add the finishing touch to another dangerous move as Finland were immediately put under pressure after the restart, while Ria Oling’s strike from distance was comfortable for Christensen when Anna Signeul’s team finally registered a shot of their own.
Harder, who failed to register a strike against Germany, had struggled to make an impact, while only goalkeeper Christensen had fewer touches of the ball than striker Signe Bruun before her 64th-minute substitution as Denmark failed to produce the necessary quality in the final third.
But they finally went ahead when Harder seized her chance – the ball dropping kindly off the bar for the 29-year-old to finish – with the goal triggering jubilant scenes among the Danish players and substitutes by the side of the pitch.
Christensen’s late intervention to deny Danielsson meant Denmark’s fate remains in their own hands heading into their final group match against Spain, with the winner of that match set to face Group A winners England in the last eight.
BBC Sport.
A.I
Tags: Julia Danielsson Pernille Harder
