Sun, Nov 16, 2014 page19

• Denmark hold off Serbia in empty stadium

  • Reuters, BELGRADE
  • • 
    • 
    • 

  Denmark on Friday recovered from a goal down to beat Serbia 3-1 away thanks to Nicklas Bendtner’s double and a goal from defender Simon Kjaer in their Euro 2016 Group I qualifier in an empty stadium.

  Bendtner equalised on the hour and struck again in the 85th minute, with Kjaer having put them in front in the 62nd, after Zoran Tosic gave the hosts the lead four minutes into the match.

  The game was played behind closed doors after Serbia received a two-game crowd ban for fan violence in their last home qualifier against Albania, which was abandoned after a drone stunt triggered a player brawl and a pitch invasion by Serbian fans.

  The result left Denmark top on seven points from four games, while Serbia, who were awarded a 3-0 walkover win over the Albanians, but were also docked three points and have appealed the latter part of the verdict, have one point from two games.

  The defeat has piled the pressure on Serbia’s Dutch coach Dick Advocaat, who said he was considering quitting.

  “When I took over in July, I had a feeling we had a good chance of qualifying, but I now have to be honest to the people from the Serbian FA and myself,” he said.

  “I’ll think about my resignation and make a decision soon, but it seems that what happened against Albania was a turning point in our campaign,” he added.

  His counterpart Morten Olsen was delighted after the Danes overcame a jittery start and outclassed a woeful Serbia in the second half.

  “All is well when you score three to turn the game around, but we have to be more focused in the early stages,” he said.

  With instructions and cries of support from both benches echoing in the eerily empty Partizan stadium, Tosic delighted two dozen stewards when he steered a low shot past keeper Kasper Schmeichel after a darting run and cross by Filip Djuricic.

  Serbia striker Danko Lazovic saw his acrobatic volley superbly saved by Schmeichel minutes later and that seemed to be the turning point of the match as the home side faded.

  The Danes dominated possession and winger Lasse Vibe missed their best chance to equalize in the first half after Serbia keeper Vladimir Stojkovic kept out his sizzling low shot.

  The visitors came close twice shortly after the break as Christian Eriksen’s shot shaved the woodwork before Bendtner headed wide of the near post with the goal at his mercy.

  However, former Arsenal striker Bendtner made no mistake on the hour, converting a rebound after Stojkovic could only parry a fierce low shot by Eriksen from 20m.

  Kjaer turned the match on its head barely two minutes later, powering a header into the roof of the net after an inch-perfect Eriksen cross found him unmarked at the far post.

  Frantic action midway through the second half saw Lazovic hit the upright before Denmark right back Peter Ankersen’s 25m piledriver cannoned of the bar at the other end.

  The Danes missed another two sitters in the closing stages before a classy assist from Vibe left the lively Bendtner with the simple task of placing the ball past the helpless Stojkovic.
• Most Popular

  • 1

    China to ban sales to US

  • 2

    Earthquakes exceeding magnitude 5.5 on the Richter scale hit 14-year high

  • 3

    Taiwan places military on high alert

  • 4

    China warships near Taiwan nearly doubles

  • 5

    Flights arranged for Taiwanese stranded in Okinawa