ODENSE. Optimism seethes in Denmark.
A year ago, they were overtaken by Sweden in the general competition before the EC.
Now it’s the Danes who can start dreaming about Brazil, while Sweden leaves Odense with far more questions than answers.
On Denmark’s Constitution Day, the city had dressed up for a party. The early summer heat lingered over Odense as supporters donned all the red and white they could find. Dannebrog flags, Viking hats, national team shirts and a self-confidence that grew stronger with each qualifying match.
And their team gave them exactly what they wanted.
Sweden on the other hand?
Not at all the energy that we got to see at home in Gothenburg. Not the frenzied forcing that one would have expected from a team that knows what’s at stake.
Sure there were glimpses.
Jennifer Falk made an early save when Olivia Holdt came forward and finished. Stina Blackstenius served Smilla Holmberg who thundered a ball into the crossbar.
But too often Sweden stood still.
In the first half, there was a lack of movement in the attacking play. The innings came, but the runs did not. The Danish defense was in full control.
In the stands, the Swedish heel tried to answer. Soft Hooligans started their chants, but they quickly disappeared in the Danish pressure.
Clap, clap, clap.
Denmark.
Clap, clap, clap.
Denmark had found the rhythm. Sweden didn’t have it.
Looked hollow
When the home team, who initially looked a little rusty, got going and switched gears, it suddenly looked easy. Olivia Holdt slipped through. Amalie Vangsgaard made her way down towards the short line. The post came diagonally inwards backwards. Cecilie Fløe appeared and pushed the ball into the roof of the net.
The Swedish defense did not keep up.
A school boxing goal and at the same time a receipt of the difference between the teams.
Denmark plays with calmness and self-awareness. They don’t create loads of chances, but they know exactly what they want to do when the opportunity presents itself.
Sweden is still groping for the answers.
It became clear defensively as well. The central midfield looked hollow and the defending was more of an individual activity than a collective work.
Ahead there were other problems. Stina Blackstenius and Felicia Schröder often sought the same surfaces and the same balls. The interplay between Johanna Rytting Kaneryd and Anna Sandberg that Tony Gustavsson paid tribute to after a few days of training in Gothenburg was barely visible.
Nevertheless, the equalizer came.
Holmberg with another nicely served cross found Schröder who nodded into the crossbar. It got messy in front of the goal. Not very elegant. But Johanna Rytting Kaneryd was there and poked the ball in.
A goal that came when Sweden finally started to fill up with more players in the penalty area.
It paid dividends.
But then Pernille Harder was replaced. It’s possible that Sweden didn’t notice, because it didn’t take many minutes before she was forgotten.
Pernille Harder.
One of the best players in the world.
She scored the 2-1 goal as coolly as possible in front of a wildly cheering home crowd. The WC ticket is close now.
Meanwhile, Italy defeated Serbia 3–0, 9–0 on aggregate over two matches. To compare with Sweden’s total of 1–0 against the Serbians.
Looking for the map
The difference says something about where this team is at. Blågult is third in the group before the final round.
At Gamla Ullevi in April, Sweden lost even though the chances lined up. Then the sharpness was lacking.
In Odense something more was missing.
Structure. Relationships. It’s a given.
Because it is a Swedish team that is full of talent, but right now they are not getting it out.
Denmark, on the other hand, look like a team that knows exactly who they are.
And perhaps that is why the optimism is so palpable on the other side of the Oresund.
They see Brazil in front of them.
Sweden still seems to be looking for the map. The direct place to the WC is a thing of the past.
