Kristiansen's Danish opening

First cap
The 21-year-old is in line to win his first senior cap after coach Morten Olsen received some impressive reports detailing Kristiansen's progress in the first half of the Danish season. "The feedback is all positive so we would like to see him in the national team," Olsen said. "It gives us a good opportunity to get to know him as a player and as a man, and he also gives us good cover on the left side."

Sørensen recovery
The rest of the squad has a familiar look with Sunderland AFC goalkeeper Thomas Sørensen included following his recovery from a dislocated elbow. He is joined in the squad by a host of other English Premiership players, including Niclas Jensen of Manchester City FC, Thomas Gravesen of Everton FC, Chelsea FC winger Jesper Grønkjær and Claus Jensen, who also plays his football in London with Charlton Athletic FC.

Three from Milan
The AC Milan triumvirate of Jon Dahl Tomasson, Thomas Helveg and Martin Laursen are also included, while Denmark-based quartet Morten Wieghorst, Thomas Røll Larsen, Peter Skov-Jensen and Martin Albrechtsen retain their places after impressing in a recent tournament in Hong Kong.

Romania next
Olsen will use the 12 February match Egypt to assess his squad ahead of the resumption of qualifying for Portugal 2004 in March. Denmark are currently third in Group 2 behind Norway and Romania but have played a game less. They take on the Romanians away on 29 March and are at home to Bosnia-Herzegovina on 2 April.

Denmark squad
Skov-Jensen, Sørensen, Albrechtsen, Helveg, Henriksen, Jensen, Laursen, Gravesen, Jensen, Kristiansen, Røll Larsen, Poulsen, Wieghorst, Grønkjær, Michaelsen, Rommedahl, Sand, Tomasson.