Once again, Denmark’s bid to reach a major football tournament is going down to the wire. And once again, it’s all set to happen in a fierce battle in Dublin.
Providing there are no major upsets in the other games, a draw will be enough on November 18.
The Danes had hoped that Ireland would take points off Switzerland on October 15 – a result that would have seen the Danes qualify with a win at home against minnows Gibraltar on November 15.
But the Swiss shook off their dramatic 0-1 defeat at Parken three days earlier – a game they would have surely won had it not been for the heroics of keeper Kasper Schmeichel – beating the Irish 2-0 to set up an all too familiar finale for the Danes.
The result leaves Ireland and Denmark equal on 12 points, followed by the Swiss on 11 points, who face Georgia at home on November 15 and Gibraltar away three days later.
Russia and Parken beckons
A loss in Dublin would see Ireland qualify by virtue of a better head-to-head record following the 1-1 draw at Parken.
The Danes will be hoping for a repeat of the famous 5-1 dismantling of the Irish in Dublin in the 2018 World Cup playoff in late 2017. In fact, since then, their only ‘loss’ was the elimination from the World Cup on penalties to Croatia.
The Danes have found it hard to score against the Irish, as three of their last five competitive fixtures have ended in 0-0 draws.
But even if Denmark fails to qualify, they will still have a chance to qualify via the European Nations League playoffs next March.
Should they make it by either route, they’ll be in the same group as Russia and play all their group games at Parken.
All hail ‘The Lord’
Nicklas Bendtner gladly posed for photos with a fan who travelled all the way from Singapore to meet him in mid-October. In a video posted on the FCK website, Thomas Choy reveals why he has followed The Lord’s entire career, collecting the ‘Bendtner’ shirts of all his various clubs.
Three cycling golds on track
Denmark won three cycling golds at the 2019 UEC Track Championships in Apeldoorn in the Netherlands, including a double in the men’s and women’s Madison event. Lasse Norman Hansen and Michael Mørkøv won the men’s, and Julie Leth and Amalie Dideriksen the women’s. In total Denmark won four medals, placing it fourth in the medals table.
FCK set European record
With a 1-1 draw away at Dynamo Kiev in the Europa League on October 24, FC Copenhagen set a new record for the number of consecutive European competition games without conceding more than one goal. Its 24-game run, which started in February 2018, surpasses the run notched up by the great AC Milan side of the early 1990s.
Astralis back on top
Danish eSports team Astralis has returned to the top of the world rankings following a recent blip – a semi-final loss to Swedish team Fnatic in the semi-final of the Dreamhack Masters – which ended a 14-month run as number one.
Brøndby axes Dubai
Brøndby has axed Dubai as a travel destination for their training camps, citing the UAE’s human rights record, criticism from its fans and the caliber of opponents it faced in the area. FC Copenhagen cut its ties with the city earlier this year.
Danish Open blow-out
There wasn’t much to celebrate for Danish badminton, despite home advantage at the Denmark Open in mid-October. Viktor Axelsen was the best performer, losing in the men’s semis.
All hail the Grandmaster
Jonas Buhl Bjerre has become a chess grandmaster at the age of just 15 – the youngest in Danish history by four full years. Since winning the under-14s European championship in 2017, Bjerre’s career has really kicked on, and a strong performance at a recent Isle of Man tournament saw him achieve the necessary standard.
DBU eyes new national stadium
The DBU football association has expressed an interest in establishing a new national football arena that can seat at least 50,000 fans. Its current home at Parken, which it shares with FC Copenhagen, can only hold 38,065. The DBU is keen to host big tournament games and is hopeful it can complete a new stadium, or develop a current one, by 2025.
Ballon bid #2 for Harder
Danish forward Pernille Harder is among 20 women vying for the Women’s 2019 Ballon d’Or title – the trophy handed out by FIFA to the best player in the world. Harder was runner-up to Ada Hegerberg of Norway last year.
Kayaker storms home
Danish marathon kayaker Mads Brandt Pedersen, 22, recently won two golds at the ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships in Shaoxing, China – in the under-23 and senior categories.
Rare Serie A hat-trick
Andreas Cornelius scored a hat-trick for his Serie A club Parma on October 20 – the first Dane to do so in the Italian top flight since Harald Nielsen for Bologna in 1963.
Gridiron glory bid finished
Denmark’s brave bid to win the IFAF 2020 Men’s European Championships in gridiron has ended at the hands of Finland, who they lost to 3-44 in Vantaa on Sunday. Thanks to a 22-19 defeat of the Dutch at Gentofte Sportspark on October 19 – their first Euro home qualifier since 2003 – Denmark will now contest places fifth to eighth.
