Teams flop in Europe: FC Copenhagen, 12 points clear in the Superliga, was knocked out of the Europa League at Parken last week on Thursday. The Lions failed to get the win they needed, drawing 1-1 with Steaua Bucharest despite holding a numerical advantage for most of the second half. With FC Nordsjælland no longer in the Champions League, Denmark will have no representatives in European action in the spring.
Recognition for kabaddi: The men’s national side are out of the Kabaddi World Cup following a 28-73 loss to hosts India on Tuesday that saw them finish third in their group. The women also lost to India, but retain a slim chance of advancing. Meanwhile, according to Indian media, the Danish government has added kabaddi to its list of recognised sports – the first non-Asian country, the report claims, to do so.
Futsal a tough mistress: The national futsal team lost both its games at a friendly tournament in Norway late last week. A national team was only inaugurated in the spring, and so far the sport has proven to be a cruel mistress. Denmark lost 3-8 to Norway and then 2-3 to England, another newbie on the international stage, which gives them an overall record of played four, lost three. The UEFA Euro qualifiers start next month.
FCN keeper wants out: FCN’s keeper Jesper Hansen might have played his last game for the Superliga champs. The 27-year-old, who conceded six in London in last week’s Champions League clash against Chelsea, has said he would welcome a move this January to the English capital to join West Ham United, which is considering a bid for him. “I saw the news after training and I have to say that I’m flattered,” he told Tribalfootball.com.
New role for captain: Davis Cup captain Kenneth Carlsen has been handed a new full-time coaching role by the Danish Tennis Federation (DTF) that will see him take charge of both the men’s and women’s (Federation Cup) teams and work more in youth development. The DTF’s elite chief, Niklas Rosengren, commended Carlsen’s “professionalism and dedication”. Carlsen will assume the new role in January.
Iberian test for under-19s: The Danish under-19 football side will need to win a group consisting of Portugal, the Czech Republic and Bulgaria in order to qualify for the Euro 2013 championships in Lithuania next July. The group will be contested from June 4-9 in Portugal, but Denmark, as one of the seeds heading into the draw, will be confident they can maintain the 100 percent record they enjoyed in the first qualifying round.
