Danes beat Portugal 2-1 to qualify for Euro 2012 Finals
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Xinhua, October 12, 2011
The Danish soccer team qualified for the 2012 European Championship Finals in Poland and Ukraine with a convincing 2-1 victory over visiting Portugal on Tuesday.
The first goal was scored by Danish Michael Krohn-Dehli after 13 minutes of play in first half.
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Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo reacts after losing the UEFA Euro 2012 Group H qualifying soccer match against Denmark at Parken stadium, in Copenhagen, Denmark, 11 October 2011. [CFP] |
After a tense game through first half and some Portuguese chances, the hosts enlarged their lead to 2-0 with a goal from Danish Nicklas Bendtner in second half, leaving the Portuguese team desperate and vulnerable for further attacks.
A last minute scoring by Portugal increased the tension, but the Danish victory was inevitable in front of over 37,000 cheering spectators at the soccer field, Parken stadium in Copenhagen.
"We had a great game, we all believed that we could win -- and that is what we did. It was like a dream to play this game in front of our Danish fans," said Bendtner.
According to game statistics, the first half of the game had been played in a surprising way as the Danes took over the traditional Portuguese style with fast shifts and high defenses, while the first goal seemed to stress the Portuguese team considerably, making their defences fall apart.
The Danish team was in danger of loosing its momentum before the break, but coach Morten Olsen stepped in the break with a pep talk.
