Rommedahl shoots down Latvia

Denmark put the controversy of their match against Sweden on Saturday behind them as two first-half goals from Dennis Rommedahl helped them ease to three points against Latvia in UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifying Group F.

Bright start
With the outcome of their abandoned game at the weekend to be decided by a UEFA inquiry, one might have thought Danish minds would be elsewhere, but they showed no signs of being preoccupied as they took the contest to their hosts in Riga. A teasing Jesper Grønkjær cross from the left that Nicklas Bendtner struck into the side-netting was a portent of things to come.

Rommedahl opener
Martin Jørgensen volleyed narrowly wide on the turn and Grønkjær sent a diving header over when free at the far post within the opening seven minutes. So it came as no surprise when Rommedahl put Denmark in front on the quarter-hour. Taking the ball down the right after fine work from Bendtner, the winger cut into the box and calmly side-footed under Latvia keeper Aleksandrs Kolinko.

Clinical volley
It took Rommedahl less than three minutes to double his tally. Bringing down a raking crossfield pass from the left by Jørgensen, he wasted no time before clinically volleying into the far corner of the net. Bendtner then had the opportunity to make it 3-0, flicking centimetres over after beating the offside trap, before Latvia responded with a flurry of chances at the other end, the best of which saw Vitalis Astafjevs nodding wide from a corner.

Fourth place
Denmark regained the initiative in the second half, without creating many openings. They might have extended their advantage shortly after the hour, though, as Jon Dahl Tomasson caught the Latvia defence sleeping only for Kolinko to claw his deft chip around the post. The result moved Denmark clear in fourth place in Group F, six points ahead of Iceland and Liechtenstein, but five adrift of leaders Sweden whose lead may grow further depending on UEFA's ruling on Friday.