Euro 2008

Qualifying group F

Denmark 1 - Spain 3

Denmark: Sorensen; Helveg, Martin Laursen, Ulrich Laursen, Niclas Jensen (Kenneth Pérez 79'); Daniel Jensen, Poulsen, Andreasen (Bendtner 46'); Gronkjaer (Cahlenberg 66'), Tomasson, Rommedahl. 4-3-3.
Spain: Casillas; Sergio Ramos, Raúl Albiol, Marchena, Capdevila; Albelda (Pablo 64'); Joaquín (Riera 69'), Xavi, Cesc (Luis García 79'), Iniesta; Tamudo. 4-1-4-1.

Goals:
0-1. 14. Tamudo. Steered header back over Sorensen from Iniesta cross.
0-2. 40. Sergio Ramos. Ran on to Tamudo pass and lifted ball over Sorensen.
1-2. 88. Tomasson. Fired shot past Casillas after Pérez laid ball back.
1-3. 90. Riera. Picked up loose ball on edge of area and curled shot past keeper.

An impressive 1-3 victory in Denmark left Spain with one foot in the Euro 2008 finals. Injuries to Villa and Torres meant that Tamudo started up front, and the Espanyol striker proved his worth when he headed Iniesta's cross past Sorensen with a quarter of an hour gone. Casillas saved from Jensen, Cesc was let off a penalty appeal when the ball hit his arm at close range, and Rommedahl fired a shot into the side netting as Denmark tried for the equaliser. But with five minutes to go to the break, Sergio Ramos finished off a marathon passing move to make it two.

It could have been more had Sorensen not tipped a shot from Cesc onto the crossbar on the stroke of half time, and had Xavi's free kick not gone just wide of the mark five minutes after the restart. Tamudo also had an effort saved at point blank range by the keeper, but otherwise the home side pushed Spain back into their half, and Casillas had to make first class saves from Rommedahl, Bendtner and Cahlenberg to maintain the two goal margin.

Bendtner hit the post with a shot from outside of the area, and with two minutes to go Tomasson finally got one back for the Scandinavian side. But almost immediately debutant Riera picked up a loose ball on the edge of the area and crashed a shot into the net to wrap things up. Spain and Sweden are now six points clear of their nearest rivals, and only a major turnover will prevent them both from going through.