Danes stay rooted as Germans eye Dutch
Source: Agencies |
June 11, 2012, Monday
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DENMARK might be sitting pretty atop Group B with Germany but it knows it must improve significantly to make a prolonged impact on Euro 2012.
Despite a famous 1-0 victory over the Netherlands in Kharkiv, Ukraine, several Danish players produced ordinary performances and if it was not for the woeful finishing of the much-vaunted Dutch forwards they could easily have conceded four or five goals.
The Netherlands hit the target only eight times in 28 attempts with Robin van Persie, Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder in profligate mood and Denmark playmaker Christian Eriksen said he felt the Dutch were "pretty harmless".
The same could be said of Denmark, however, and coach Morten Olsen still has plenty of work to do.
Defender Simon Poulsen said that while the Danes were overjoyed with the result - 29-year-old journeyman midfielder Michael Krohn-Dehli scored the only goal in the 24th minute - they will have to change tack in the next encounter against a Portugal side wounded by a 0-1 loss to Germany.
"Portugal will be a different kind of opponent," he said.
The loss of experienced goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen to a back injury before the tournament was a worry for many, but his replacement Stephan Andersen came through with flying colors, making a vital late smothering save from Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.
"Our entire focus was on this match, now we're shifting focus to Portugal, and naturally that's also a game we'll be playing to win," Andersen said. "That's what we do in every match, but it will be at least as difficult as this one was.
The wily Olsen, who won his 129th victory as Denmark coach against the Dutch, will go back to basics against Portugal.
Necessary spark
Germany's victory over Portugal, meanwhile, has given the team the necessary spark for the tournament but coach Joachim Loew wants to see his players create more scoring chances when they take on bitter rivals Netherlands.
The Germans were frustrated by a tight Portuguese defense on Saturday and had to wait 72 minutes before Mario Gomez headed in the only goal from a Sami Khedira cross in Lviv.
Until then, the three-time European champion, among the tournament favorites, had less than a handful of scoring chances and it was Portugal which twice hit the woodwork.
"This opening win can give the team an initial spark for the tournament, it gives us more confidence. But we need to improve on certain things, though. We need to create more scoring chances, because the tournament has now begun," said the 52-year-old Loew.
The Germans take on Dutch - which has won just the 1988 European title - in their next Group B game in Kharkiv on Wednesday with the Netherlands facing a possible early tournament exit.
"I refuse to throw in the towel," Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk said. "We must beat Germany. We have done that before."
Despite a famous 1-0 victory over the Netherlands in Kharkiv, Ukraine, several Danish players produced ordinary performances and if it was not for the woeful finishing of the much-vaunted Dutch forwards they could easily have conceded four or five goals.
The Netherlands hit the target only eight times in 28 attempts with Robin van Persie, Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder in profligate mood and Denmark playmaker Christian Eriksen said he felt the Dutch were "pretty harmless".
The same could be said of Denmark, however, and coach Morten Olsen still has plenty of work to do.
Defender Simon Poulsen said that while the Danes were overjoyed with the result - 29-year-old journeyman midfielder Michael Krohn-Dehli scored the only goal in the 24th minute - they will have to change tack in the next encounter against a Portugal side wounded by a 0-1 loss to Germany.
"Portugal will be a different kind of opponent," he said.
The loss of experienced goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen to a back injury before the tournament was a worry for many, but his replacement Stephan Andersen came through with flying colors, making a vital late smothering save from Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.
"Our entire focus was on this match, now we're shifting focus to Portugal, and naturally that's also a game we'll be playing to win," Andersen said. "That's what we do in every match, but it will be at least as difficult as this one was.
The wily Olsen, who won his 129th victory as Denmark coach against the Dutch, will go back to basics against Portugal.
Necessary spark
Germany's victory over Portugal, meanwhile, has given the team the necessary spark for the tournament but coach Joachim Loew wants to see his players create more scoring chances when they take on bitter rivals Netherlands.
The Germans were frustrated by a tight Portuguese defense on Saturday and had to wait 72 minutes before Mario Gomez headed in the only goal from a Sami Khedira cross in Lviv.
Until then, the three-time European champion, among the tournament favorites, had less than a handful of scoring chances and it was Portugal which twice hit the woodwork.
"This opening win can give the team an initial spark for the tournament, it gives us more confidence. But we need to improve on certain things, though. We need to create more scoring chances, because the tournament has now begun," said the 52-year-old Loew.
The Germans take on Dutch - which has won just the 1988 European title - in their next Group B game in Kharkiv on Wednesday with the Netherlands facing a possible early tournament exit.
"I refuse to throw in the towel," Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk said. "We must beat Germany. We have done that before."
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