Denmark and Israel bow out on positive note
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Article summary
Denmark 2-1 Israel
Eden Avital scored Israel's first finals goal but a double from 17-year-old Nicoline Sørensen earned Denmark the points.
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Article body
• Denmark seal third in Group A with first points at the finals
• Eden Avital scores Israel's first ever WU19 EURO finals goal
• Hosts Israel bow out of debut final tournament without a point
• Sides begin 2015/16 campaign in September's qualifying round
• Semi-final lineup: France v Spain, Germany v Sweden (Friday)
Denmark and Israel both bowed out of WU19 EURO on a high on Tuesday, with the Danes getting the win their coach had called for and the hosts making history.
Before the match Guy Azouri had spoken of his desire for Israel to get their first ever finals goal and, 22 minutes in, his genie Eden Avital duly granted his wish. The 2,300 fans in Lod erupted. The lead did not last long as Nicoline Sørensen equalised, the 17-year-old's second on the hour sealing the Group A points that her own coach had demanded.
Yet it was the opener that was on everyone's lips after the match. Dalia Dakwar deserves credit as she stole the ball off Maja Kildemoes and centred it. Marian Awad touched it into the path of Avital and the rest was history. The celebrations were priceless.
Signe Schioldan's cross from the left teed up Sørensen for the equaliser on 11 minutes, and on the hour the pair combined again in a carbon copy that put Denmark ahead. Israel, with legs heavy after three matches in six days, could not find a way back.
Reaction
Guy Azouri, Israel coach: "We lost but that was a special moment, Eden's goal. It was reward for two years of hard work. I was so happy. We brought this amazing tournament to Israel and hosted it the best we could; with the football we produced I think we can be proud of Israel women's football. Now we must keep up the momentum and get more girls on the pitch."
Søren Randa-Boldt, Denmark coach: "It was very important for us to win this and finish the tournament with a good taste in our mouths because we felt we deserved much more. I think tournaments like these give the girls a lot of experience for the future and I put that above all as the main objective."
