Wales 1-2 Denmark
It was a much-anticipated battle between two of the more intriguing sides in the UEFA Nations League.
It was billed as a must-win for the hosts against a team that has comfortably beaten them once. Some saw this as a grand duel between Gareth Bale and Christian Eriksen.
While the game did provide its share of thrills and spills, it was Denmark that would triumph once more. Bale definitely gave them the scare, but the Danish Dynamite did just enough to secure the three points.
Highlights of the game
With promotion to the prestigious League A at stake for the winning team, there was no question that both nations put a premium on getting the most positive UEFA Nations League 2018 results. Both Age Hareide and Ryan Giggs used their best rosters to get the all-important three points.
It seemed like Denmark would continue having fun against the Dragons as they had the first bit of action. Christian Eriksen got a pass from the edge of the box and fired his shot. However, the ball flew over the crossbar by only a whisker.
Of course, the Wales team didn’t want to be shown up in the Cardiff City Stadium and got on with their attack. Tom Lawrence made a beautiful pass into the box, and James Chester beat his marker to send a powerful header towards the left power. Unfortunately for him, the ball flew just wide the intended destination.
The game continued to be a close one as both teams played good, organised football. There wasn’t anything completely separating the two sides, and the crowd has been showered with top stuff from two of world football’s great teams.
Gareth Bale almost gave his home fans something to cheer for when he got a lofted pass from Connor Roberts on the edge of the six-yard box. However, the Real Madrid man would share the fate of the 29-year-old defender and see his header fly wide of the left post.
That missed opportunity would turn out to be one they regret not converting as Nicolai Jorgensen struck first for the Danish Dynamite. A quick counter saw Yussuf Poulsen make a beautiful lob pass for the Feyenoord forward to quickly dash to the box. He easily beat an out-of-position Wayne Hennessey with a low-driven shot to the bottom-left corner.
The first half ended with the Cardiff City Stadium stunned on their feet. They were playing just fine until the goal, but the sudden arrival of the opener definitely put a dent on their hopes of making it to the next league.
However, it seemed like Giggs managed to pull his boys back together during the half-time break and repeat what they did in their first game against Ireland. The fans deserved at least that much from them, and it seemed like the boys responded positively to his calls.
David Brooks, the young Wales midfielder who scrapped his way to the top of the English football pyramid, created two brilliant chances that almost got the Dragons back in the game. He forced Kasper Schmeichel to make a fantastic save in the 53rd minute, and his subsequent long-range range effort five minutes later just flew wide of the left post.
Wales would continue to play heavy attacking football against the Danes as they searched for the equaliser. They had another shot at glory in the 84th minute when Wales had a corner. Bale launched towards the corner with a header only to be denied again. The ball hit the post and headed to Schmeichel’s grateful arms.
It would turn out to be another regret for Wales as Martin Braithwaite got control of a cross into the Wales box and launched a rocket to the top-right corner. There was nothing Hennessey could do about the goal; it was simply the stuff of dreams.
It was immediately after that goal that Bale showcased his wares. A long ball was launched to the Denmark box. The Real Madrid forward collected the ball after beating his mark. He made a brilliant first touch that beat the Leicester stopper and slotted the ball to the goal.
Wales would doggedly try another comeback, but time was against their side. The Danish Dynamite were determined to end things the way it is and engaged in delaying tactics. While it is to the chagrin of the supporters, they cannot blame Hareide’s side taking the easy way out against an impressive Wales side that showed some fight in them.
Key statistics
There is just a stark difference between the two halves in terms of content. The first half saw Denmark dominate with 52% possession, with only two of their eight shot attempts on target. The second half saw Wales take over the attack. They made 10 goal attempts and made six shot attempts on target, forcing five incredible saves from Schmeichel.
The increase in pressure from Wales also saw Denmark tightening up their defence. They picked up nine fouls and five yellow cards in the second half alone as they tried to strong-arm their way to the three points.
What’s next?
Now that Denmark have won their group, they can now take it easy for a bit and let go of the gas pedal when they face the Republic of Ireland. The Boys in Green are already doomed to relegation and have big UEFA Nations League 2018 odds to beat at reputable sites like SBOBET.
Meanwhile, Wales can at least take their mind off the whippings they endured against Denmark and focus on ending the year right by beating Albania. This would be a great pick-me-up for Ryan Giggs and the boys: they lost three of their last four games.
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