Cymru struggle in home opener of NL

Cymru 1-5 Denmark

Cardiff City Stadium 

26th September 2023

Stephen (@stephenjbaker) looks back at a disappointing night at CCS.

After Friday night Cymru had a bad day at the office in front of goal, with a frustrating 1-0 defeat to Iceland. Then, all eyes turned to Cardiff for the first home Women’s Nations League fixture.

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All the hope of a better result turned to despair after only 4 minutes when Denmark won a corner which the Cymru defence struggle to clear. Keeper Olivia Clark had to tip the ball past the post. But when the players turned around to prepare for another corner the referee was pointing to the spot. Confusion amongst the Cymru players and the 8,600+ crowd as to what happened. Replays showed Rhiannon Roberts kicking the calf of the Danish player has she tried to pass the ball. The penalty was coolly scored by Denmark’s leading scorer Pernille Harder.

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Things didn’t get any better 5 minutes later, built after an 18 pass move where Cymru didn’t get a sniff of the ball. The Danish team passed the ball from deep in the Cymru half, back to just outside their area, down the left wing and back across to the right. The 18th pass was across the Cymru goal for Harder to knock in from 8 yards.

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Although Denmark was in total control of the match for the rest of the half, it was still only 2-0 at the break. Cymru started the second half brightly. At the 51st minute mark, after a great turn and pass through the defender’s legs by Carrie Jones, Cymru legend Jess Fishlock took one touch inside the D and curled it into the top corner. We are so lucky to have a player like Jess still playing in a Cymru shirt.

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After looking rattled for a few minutes, Denmark went up another gear again and passed the ball around the pitch at ease. A couple of crosses that were cleared by the Cymru defence, with the ball ending up on the left wing where a perfect cross from Sofie Svava was met by the totally unmarked Frederikke Thogersen to tap in the ball from a yard out. Cymru’s fight back was short lived and it was 3-1 on the hour.

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Denmark took control for the next 15 minutes until Josie Green and the excellent Ffion Morgan came on for Jess Fishlock and Carrie Jones. But sadly, it was too little too late. Despite Green and Morgan’s best-efforts Denmark made it four, with 87 minutes on the clock. After a good save by Olivia Clark the ball rebounded out to Sanne Troelsgaard who headed home from fifteen yards.

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To end a great night for the Danes, Captain Pernille Harder completed the hat-trick in the last minute of the game when a shot from substitute Signe Bruun came off the cross bar into the path of Pernille for her to score Denmark’s 5th.

Although Denmark was excellent, 5-1 was a harsh result on the Cyrmu team. A tough one to take, but they must move on from this game and on to Germany away. There are still big things to come from this team.