Door open for Danish duo

By Peter Bruun

Denmark coach Morten Olsen has handed UEFA EURO 2004™ lifelines to Kasper Bøgelund and Peter Løvenkrands despite their injury worries.

Training camp
Last week, Olsen named a provisional 21-man squad for this summer's finals, leaving two places up for grabs. He has now called up PSV Eindhoven defender Bøgelund and Rangers FC winger Løvenkrands for the national team's training camp in Vedbæk, north of Copenhagen, starting this Sunday.

Tests needed
"They have the potential to be part of the EURO 2004™ squad, but as everyone knows, they are only just returning from long-term injuries," said Olsen, whose definitive selection must be submitted by 2 June. "Therefore we have to test their fitness before we consider them for the two vacant positions in the squad."

Long lay-offs
Løvenkrands's last appearance for Denmark came in November's 3-2 friendly victory in England while Bøgelund has not figured since the home EURO 2004™ qualifier against Romania last September, when he was injured in training. Both players have been racing to get fit for the finals with Løvenkrands missing the end of the Scottish season to recover from a knee injury, and Bøgelund nursing a torn hamstring.