Dull Denmark pull off Dublin point to qualify

“I’m off to watch Ireland draw with Denmark” quipped a Facebook post ahead of the final – and most critical – game of this European Championship qualifying group in Dublin.

Another, shortly afterwards, suggested Ireland’s best chance of scoring in the game was through captain and centre-back Shane Duffy.

This game, you see, has garnered something of a reputation over recent years. This matchup is the sixth contest between the two sides in recent qualifying campaigns, and of the previous five previous, four ended in fairly dour draws. The fifth, the second leg of a World Cup qualifying playoff, saw Denmark overcome a deficit to hammer their Irish hosts 5-1.

Over the course of the various contests, contempt has grown. Denmark have a marked disdain for the Irish approach, once comparing their defensive set up to “opening a can of beans without a can opener.” It’s not a compliment: it’s clear that the Danes are bored of the gutsy, defensive, snarling way the Irish approach the game.

In contrast, the Irish have been increasingly amused by the Danes obvious frustration, contending, for obvious reasons, that there’s no reason whatsoever to take on the Danes on their own terms. In short, these two, generally, don’t produce classics.

The formula here was simple. Ireland win, and they qualify on the head-to-head rule, despite having a vastly inferior goal difference to Denmark.

The home side have a ‘shots on target’ figure for the entire tournament that plenty of teams have managed in single games. Any other result bar and Ireland win would see Denmark go through, leaving Ireland to hit the playoffs. Denmark, in other words, brought with them the option not to open any beans: another nil-nil would do.

Egged on by an impassioned and at times riotously loud home support, Ireland had the better of the early exchanges, though little came of it. Much of the ball was played around the midfield, with the home side hanging onto much of the possession. Typically of these two, by 35 minutes, nothing more significant than a pinball of a corner that landed straight in Darren Randolph’s hands had emerged. The Danes seemed to be slowly wrestling a modicum of control, though at the cost of two early substitutions.

McGoldrick, renowned for his hold up play upfront, was starting to come into the game, and his escapades down the right ended with a mishit pass finding Conor Hourihane, who could only fire straight at Schmeichel from a tight angle.

McGoldrick fired over from distance, Eriksen had a strike blocked, and Ireland, on balance, looked slightly more attacking than normal throughout the opening period. The scrappiness was, well, as anticipated.

The second half opened with a period of Ireland pressure, several corners eventually leading to a cross bouncing through and forcing a surprised palm away from Schmeichel.

As the half drew on the differences in urgency really starts to show: Irish tackles were flying in, and passes were flung from player to player at a frantic pace. Denmark, in contrast, were taking their time over frees and playing at a plod out of defence.

There was still little doing at either end on a compact-looking field, however, as a procession of niggly fouls and defensive setups dictating the feel of the contest. Ireland produced little, and Denmark still less, with the long-ball ability of Matt Doherty looking the biggest threat on the field from right back.

Stevens found space for McGoldrick, who fired wildly over, but Ireland were only sporadically looking doing any damage

Then came the sucker punch. A Dalsgaard cross found the outstretched foot of Martin Brathewaite from deep, and after ‘73 minutes, Denmark had their first shot on target, and the lead, as the ball pinged past Randolph.

From then on, Ireland were passionate but largely remained ineffective. McClean, something of a headless chicken, started throwing himself into tackles a little too hard. Robinson chased relentlessly, and, finally, players were committed forward in the chase. There’s a goalmouth scramble, a penalty shout, and a timid long range effort straight into Schmeichel’s arms all in the space of a couple of minutes

Doherty, finally, found the net the business with five minutes left, ending a period of pressure to nod home from close range from a Stevens cross. He’d been outstanding in usual captain Seamus Coleman’s stead, and the mountain of late pressure was on, with centre-back Duffy immediately sent to play as a target man for the home team.

The pressure was intense, too, with corners and crosses a barrage on the Danish box late on as the Aviva roarer the Irish side on, but it was all to no avail, as Ireland fell short of the critical winner.

What Denmark had done, ultimately, was beat Ireland at their own game: they played ugly, niggled and pressured at every juncture, and nicked a goal out of almost nothing from their only clear-cut chance. Tonight, they were poor, but over the course of the group, Denmark clearly outshone their hosts. They’ll go to the Euros by a whisker; Ireland head for the play-off lottery.