With just over 100 days to go until the start of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, it has been revealed which group the Danish football team will be in – and it’s a cracker!
Denmark was yesterday drawn in Group A alongside hosts Brazil, South Africa and Iraq. Niels Frederiksen, the under-21s national coach who will be in charge in Rio, was elated.
“We couldn’t have hoped for a better draw,” said Frederiksen. “Even though it certainly won’t be easy, we see good possibilities against South Africa and Iraq, and it’s in these games we must get results.”
“We’ll meet the toughest team in Brazil in the final game, which is good for us as we will have hopefully acclimatised by then. Our ambition is to reach the quarter-finals.”
READ MORE: Danes beat Serbia to reach semis … and Rio
Iraqi initiation
Denmark will play its first two games in the capital Brasilia, while the last game against the hosts will take place in Salvador.
The Danish team will congregate in June and the football association DBU is working on arranging some pre-tournament friendlies.
According to the Olympic rules, countries must enter an under-23 squad with the exception of three players who can be over the age limit.
The age limit ensures every player involved in Denmark’s qualification – courtesy of reaching the semi-finals of the 2015 Under-21 European Championships in the Czech Republic – could be involved if selected.
August 4: Denmark vs Iraq, 13:00 (local time) in Brasilia
August 7: Denmark vs South Africa, 19:00 (local time) in Brasilia
August 10: Denmark vs Brazil, 22:00 (local time) in Salvador
