COPENHAGEN (UEFA.com) — Teenager Pierre Højbjerg and Thomas Kahlenberg grabbed the goals as Denmark battled back in Copenhagen to down Armenia 2-1 and make a winning start in UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying Group I.

Beaten 4-0 by the same visitors in June 2013 on the road to the FIFA World Cup, Denmark looked set for another damaging loss when Henrikh Mkhitaryan found the net shortly after half-time. There was to be no repeat, however, as Morten Olsen’s men responded in style, Kahlenberg heading the winner with ten minutes remaining.

Denmark had begun the game on top as well, though their dominance faded as the first half unfolded. The interval came without clear chances for either team and if Olsen imagined his charges would retake control after the restart, he was in for a shock.

Armenia national team before the game against Denmark
Armenia national team before the game against Denmark

Instead, Armenia delivered the opening blow on 50 minutes as Borussia Dortmund playmaker Mkhitaryan drove a powerful shot beyond Kasper Schmeichel from distance. Suddenly, Denmark’s supporters were left fearing the worst, and that sensation was magnified when Michael Krohn-Dehli had a goal disallowed for offside moments later.

Relief nonetheless came when FC Bayern München midfielder Højbjerg levelled the scores midway through the half. A long throw from the right was only half-cleared by the Armenian defence, and the 19-year-old met the ball with a sweetly timed volley from 25 metres which flew into the corner past Roman Berezovski.

Denmark then completed their comeback via Kahlenberg, the Brøndby IF midfielder registering six minutes after coming on by connecting with a perfect Nicklas Bendtner cross. The Scandinavian hopefuls will aim to continue their good start in Albania next month, when Armenia host Serbia.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sign Up for Our Newsletters

Get notified of the latest updates from MassisPost.

You May Also Like

Pashinyan, Putin Discuss Bilateral Ties, Regional Developments

VLADIVOSTOK — Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with Armenian…

Armenian Weightlifters Win Gold, Silver Medals at European Championships

FJORD, NORWAY (Armenianow) — Two Armenian athletes have won medals, including a…

EyeCare Project Hosts Glendale Event to Thank Supporters

GLENDALE — On May 12, the Armenian EyeCare Project hosted a small…

War in Karabakh is Likely to Break Out – Expert

The war in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone is likely to break out in…