Pauw left purring by Oranje 'maturity'

After defeating Denmark to secure qualification for the quarter-finals of UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2009™ as Group A runners-up, Netherlands coach Vera Pauw hailed the way her squad has grown up during the tournament. The Oranje trainer was delighted with how her players responded to a surprise change in tactics from their opponents, saying if "you can change your playing style so quickly, that shows we have matured so much. In the past we couldn't do it." Her opposite number, Kenneth Heiner-Møller, described the result, which condemned his side to a nervous wait to see if they progress as one of two best third-placed teams, as a "blow to the stomach".

Vera Pauw, Netherlands coach
If you beat the team that's ranked sixth in the world you have to have had a top day. We were struggling in the first half, everybody could see that. They played differently: they usually play with three in midfield, with one sitting and two further forward, but they played the other way around which caused us some problems. We hope the people back home will greet the result with enthusiasm. A national TV channel promised us that if we reach the quarter-finals they would broadcast it, so I hope they keep it because that would be a huge boost for the development of the game.

Our next game is even more historic than this one. I said this morning that it seems at this stage of our development, every game we play is more important than the last. Every game we play is the most important in women's football at the moment and that helps your maturity. If you compare the difference between the first and the second half against a team who are sixth in the world, and you can change your playing style so quickly after a break, that shows we have matured so much. In the past we couldn't do it and I think our strategy has definitely worked.

Daphne Koster, Netherlands captain & Carlsberg Player of the Match
At times during the first half we didn't play so well and I thought because we were having so much luck it was going to go our way. At 2-0 the whole team was determined not to give it away. I feel very happy we are in the quarter-finals which seemed so far away, but now we are really there. I don't do it alone: it's a team performance. Our goalkeeper, Loes [Geurts] played very well at the start and due to her the team are in the quarter-finals.

Kenneth Heiner-Møller, Denmark coach
That was quite a blow to the stomach. We created the chances you would expect from a match like this but obviously we didn't put the ball away when we had those chances. That's the thing about this tournament: when you don't take your chances, your opponents do. It's a big disappointment. I congratulated my players for playing well. We played the best hour of the tournament so far and everyone gave what they could, but this time it wasn't enough and tomorrow we have to hope for a [winner] in the match between France and Norway.

If you have sleepless nights, it's because you can do something about the situation – tomorrow we can do nothing but maybe we will be up for a few hours because we'll look at the situations when we could have scored and didn't. Of course, I'm very disappointed with the result. It wasn't the one we came for but we played well during the first half and produced a good opening hour. We made the chances we wanted to and they fell to the right players, but we didn't put the ball away. The players didn't kick it straight at the goalkeeper of their own free will, though. They tried to score but she [the goalkeeper] played great. Regarding [possible quarter-final opponents] Sweden or England, bring them on. Whichever one it is, we will be happy to play them.