Denmark Women 2-1 Cymru Women

Energi Viborg Arena, Denmark

31st October 2023

Improved performance from Cymru, but Stephen @stephenjbaker takes you through the ups and downs of another Nations League defeat.

After losing 5-1 to Denmark in Cardiff last month, and another 5-1 defeat to Germany last Friday, Cymru took on Denmark in Viborg. Hannah Cain and Ceri Holland out injured after Friday’s match, Kayleigh Green dropped to the bench with Carrie Jones, Josie Green and finally Ffion Morgan moved up to the starting XI.

Denmark made two changes from their last match, Sanne Troelsgarrd and Sofie Bredgaard in for Josefine Hasbo and Nadia Nadim. Pernille Harder who scored a Hat Trick in Cardiff missing due to injury.

The first chance came after two minutes when Amalie Vangsgaard attacked down the right, but her shot was pushed out for a corner by Olivia Clark in goal for Cymru.

Although Denmark had the majority of the possession, they did not create another clear cut chance for another twenty minutes, when a cross into box was hit over the bar by Vangsgaard. Rhiannon Roberts, who was coming in to cover Vangsgaard, slipped but did enough to put off the Danish striker.

Denmark finally broke the deadlock on the 28th minute when, after a difficult pass was played back to Rhiannon Roberts, Sofie Svana won the ball. After a one-two with Amalie Vangsgaard, the ball went out to the right hand side where Sofie Bredgaard crossed the ball into the penalty area. There, Vangsgaard got in between the two Cymru Centre Backs, looping her header over Olivia Clark and giving her no chance.

Eleven minutes later Angharad James lost the ball to Mille Gejl in the left hand corner of the box after trying to run it out of defence. Gejl took the ball forward and passed it back to Sofie Bredgaard in space, who curled it into the top right corner. Another well worked goal from Denmark.

Denmark almost made it three just before half time went Vangsgaard once again got in behind the Cymru Back Five but another good save from Olivia Clark; this time pushed out for a corner.

A more positive first half for Cymru than the Germany game. With Denmark having 70% possession and five out of seven shots on target, Clark and her defence did really well to keep it to 2-0 at half time.

After the half time break, Cymru came back into the game getting forward far more often than in the first half. But around the hour mark Denmark came back into the game, with Olivia Clark producing a fine series of saves to keep it to 2-0.

With eighteen minutes to go, after pressure from substituted-on Kayleigh Green, and from Ffion Morgan, Green managed to get the ball out to Sophie Ingle. From thirty yards out, our captain produced a no look pass to Jess Fishlock who from twelve yards fires home to make it 2-1. 

After the goal, Cymru played with much more urgency, looking for the equaliser. They were first to all the loose balls and winning 50/50 tackles. Pushing forward, there were a few chances for Cymru on goal with Denmark looking sloppy in the final ten minutes. Unfortunately the equaliser didn’t come.

Despite losing 2-1 it was a much better performance from Cymru with many positives to take from the game. The second half performance being the best since beating Northern Ireland. We need to remember that Cymru are 29th in the world, and here went toe to toe with the 12th placed team, away from home. Wasn’t the scary Halloween result we were dreading.

Now on to Iceland, where a win in Cardiff in December will give Cymru a chance of staying in the top Nations League. 

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