Christian Eriksen brought Wales crashing back down to earth as the midfielder settled a scrappy Nations League encounter 2-0 in Denmark s favour.
Ryan Giggs side had dismantled Republic of Ireland in the group opener days earlier, but against Denmark at full strength after resolving their sponsorship row they lacked a cutting edge.
Gareth Bale, wearing the captain s armband, struggled to influence play and Eriksen instead proved the difference with a fine first-half strike and a penalty after the break.
This functional Denmark side profited on the occasional Welsh mistake to take two big chances, handing out a lesson in competitive internationals to opponents depending again on young talents like Ethan Ampadu.
Eriksen x 2 = 2-0 til Danmark
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Bayern Munich head coach Carlo Ancelotti is eagerly anticipating his reunion with former club Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
Ancelotti s Bayern and big-spending PSG have been drawn together in Group B, along with Celtic and Anderlecht.
The 58-year-old Italian boss spent two seasons at PSG, helping the French capital club to Ligue 1 honours in 2012-13 before he was replaced by Laurent Blanc.
It s an exciting group with great teams, Paris foremost, Ancelotti said.
It s a beautiful story for me personally to meet my former club. We have three different but tough opponents.
While Bayern claimed another Bundesliga title last season, the Bavarians struggled to live up to expectations in Europe.
Bayern were swept aside by eventua…
Guys, I need to say a few things about this interview, it read.
First of all, I didn t say anything bad or judgemental about our tactics, so don t confuse my words, please.
I was explaining that we as players understand the effect tactics have and how, given we have such great experience, we can adapt to the tactics we are given.
On the night, we lost to Lyon but that doesn t mean the manager was wrong to try.
If you have seen my interviews in the past and the way I talk about our manager then you can believe me. He is number one.
He added: Second one, about my wife. Although she is a journalist, she is also a fan. During all the season she was travelling with us for all away and home games because she is a massive City fan.
In the…
Tony Pulis said it was up to West Brom s board to decide his future after a 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Chelsea piled further pressure on the under-fire manager.
The Baggies were well beaten at the Hawthorns as they suffered a fourth consecutive Premier League loss and they will drop into the bottom three if West Ham beat Watford on Sunday.
Pulis revealed he had met with owner Guochuan Lai, who purchased West Brom in July 2016, amid mounting scrutiny of a winless run that stretches back to August.
And the former Stoke City and Crystal Palace boss hopes to have the chance to turn things around, if he remains wanted by the Midlands outfit.
The board of directors will decide what they have to do. It s up to them, Pulis told the BBC.
I have …
Jamie Vardy and Harry Maguire are among the Leicester City players to pay tribute to Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha following confirmation the club s chairman was killed in Saturday s helicopter crash outside the King Power Stadium.
Srivaddhanaprabha was one of five people to perish in the incident, from which there were no survivors.
The Thai businessman, who oversaw Leicester s remarkable Premier League-winning campaign in 2015-16, had watched his side s 1-1 draw with West Ham before leaving the ground in a private helicopter.
The aircraft came down shortly after take-off, crashing outside the ground. Srivaddhanaprabha was named among the dead on Sunday.
Leicester s players took to social media shortly after the announcement to voice their shock and grief…
Fernando Torres has hit out at Liverpool for portraying him as a traitor following his move to Premier League rivals Chelsea in 2011.
Anfield favourite and Atletico Madrid striker Torres swapped Liverpool for Chelsea in a big-money deal, believed to be worth £50million, more than five years ago.
Torres was the subject of criticism by Liverpool fans following his record-breaking move to Stamford Bridge but the 32-year-old has lifted the lid on his transfer to Chelsea, where he won the Champions League, Europa League and FA Cup.
[Director of football Damien] Comolli told me that the new owners [Fenway Sports Group], they had an idea of how to spend their investment, Torres is quoted as saying from an extract in new book Ring of Fire: Liverpool FC into the 21st Ce…
Juventus board of directors have sanctioned a cash injection of €400million as they look to redress the financial damage wrought by the coronavirus pandemic.
Like all clubs across Europe, Juve have seen their broadcasting, merchandising and ticket revenues hit by the closure of stadiums due to COVID-19.
The Italian club s analysis of the cost of the impact of the pandemic suggests that they are set to lose €320m in total between 2019 and 2022.
As a result, the board have voted through a support plan to help ensure sports competitiveness and economic-financial sustainability are maintained.
They have also announced that Maurizio Arrivabene, former team principal of Formula One s Ferrari, will take charge of football business operations.
Juventu…
Jurgen Klopp s inside knowledge of the Bundesliga will be an advantage when Liverpool meet Bayern Munich in the Champions League, according to former Reds striker Ian Rush.
Klopp joined Liverpool in October 2015 after a hugely impressive seven-year spell at Borussia Dortmund, during which he guided them to two league titles and a DFB-Pokal triumph.
Bayern have won six successive Bundesliga crowns but are struggling, in relative terms, this season and sit nine points behind Dortmund after 15 games.
Asked if having a German in the Liverpool dugout for the last 16 tie would be a benefit, Rush said: Yes, it ll be an advantage.
Jurgen knows all the German teams he ll have done his homework.
Bayern have got [Robert] Lewandowski, who s the top scorer i…
Ivory Coast boss Patrice Beaumelle is hopeful he can convince England defender Marc Guehi to switch his international allegiance.
Guehi, who was born in Ivory Coast, made his senior debut in the Three Lions’ victory over Switzerland at Wembley on Saturday.
The Crystal Palace defender has now represented England at every level from Under 16 upwards, and could make his second appearance in Tuesday’s clash with the Elephants.
However, the 21-year-old is still eligible to switch to the country of his birth, having yet to appear in a competitive match under Gareth Southgate.
Guehi, who spent the 2020-21 season on loan at Championship side Swansea City, has made 28 Premier League appearances since leaving Chelsea for Selhurst Park in July.
The Eagl…
24 hours after Italy managed to sneak their way past Spain from the penalty spot, England booked their place in the final of this summer’s European Championships on what was a nervy night at Wembley.
Backed by a noisy home support in the capital and with over 60,000 fans in attendance, the largest sporting capacity over the past 15 months, Gareth Southgate’s side overcome a first-half stunner from Mikkel Damsgaard’s long-range free-kick as The Three Lions booked their first major tournament final since 1966.
A night that was filled with high drama and plenty of controversy after Harry Kane converted England’s penalty in extra-time, we have taken a look at the major talking points as Wednesday’s hosts picked up a 2-1 win against an inspired Denmark.
Was it…