Five things we learned from Denmark vs Portugal

Denmark and Portugal played out the best match of Euro 2012 so far in a pulsating night in the Ukrainian city of Lviv. Portugal registered their first win of the tournament against a resilient Danish side who proved to be their equal in every department. A late strike from substitute Silvestre Varela ensured three points for the Portuguese after Bendtner’s brace had cancelled out goals from Pepe and Helder Postiga. We look at five key take-aways from the Group B encounter.

Portugal CANNOT bank on Cristiano Ronaldo

Disastrous. That’s the perfect adjective for Ronaldo’s display tonight. For a genius who averages more than a goal per game for his club and who came into the tournament on the back of scoring 60 goals in 55 games last season, that sort of a performance was difficult to swallow down the throat, let alone digesting it. He missed the simplest of one-on-one chances in what could turn out to be the miss of the tournament. Apart from that moment of embarrassment, which is sure to bring him a lot of public mockery and misery on the internet from his huge base of haters, Ronaldo was a figure of despair, frustration and disbelief.

If not for Varela’s late winner, Ronaldo’s poor finishing would have cost Portugal dear in the Group of Death. With just one point in 2 games, The Navigators would have been staring at another premature exit from a major international tournament despite boasting of some of the best players from across the top leagues of Europe. Perhaps, it was a lesson meant for them. Their over-dependence on the Real Madrid hotshot could turn counter-productive if Ronaldo fails to get going again.

The Never-Say-Die temperament is Denmark’s biggest asset

Nine out of ten teams would have pulled back deeper into their own half after going 2 goals behind to an attacking force of the pedigree of Portugal. But Denmark are certainly not one of those nine. After Helder Postiga doubled the score and put Portugal in command, it seemed that it’ll be a long, hard night for the Danes. But such is the grooming of this relatively unknown bunch of players that Denmark refused to bog down. They came back hard at the Portuguese, grabbing a goal back before the half-time whistle.

Long-serving coach Morten Olsen’s inspirational team-talk did wonders to the team as they came out with renewed vigour. Their mental and physical resilience showed late in the game when Bendtner equalized only for the Danes to run out unlucky losers. Denmark’s squad looks very close-knit, well organized, and the team plays as a whole. Their coherence, inter-dependence and confidence has been at showcase for the world this summer.

Bendtner is full of talent, no two ways about it

Once being hailed as a player for the future and the biggest thing in Danish football since Michael Laudrup, the Danish U17 Player of the Year in ’04 has endured 8 frustrating seasons with Arsenal. His failure to settle at the Emirates has been partly due to lack of playing time in his natural position and partly due to his own doubts on his ability. Making his 50^th appearance for the national side against Portugal, Bendtner once again showed why Arsene Wenger picked him up as a 16-year old. Last season’s loanee at Sunderland played one of his best games in Danish colors and fully justified his selection to critics and sections of the media who had called for his axe from the starting eleven.

He scored two poacher’s goals and his running and movement in and around the box was a constant threat to the Portuguese defense. He did a phenomenal job as a lone striker and though his efforts might have gone in vain in the end, but the 24-year old can hold his head high after that performance. Meanwhile, the world got a glimpse of what Nicklas Bendtner is all about.

Portugal’s No. 7 is an international flop

After this match, it’s safe to say that Ronaldo is indeed a player who revels at the club level but when it comes to performing in national colors, he struggles to say the least. Although the Portugal captain has amassed 32 goals in 92 appearances for his country (an average of 0.32 goals per game compared to 1.01 for Real Madrid and 0.40 for Manchester United), most of his goals have come in inconsequential international friendlies and qualification matches. It’s astonishing to know that he has only managed a poor return of 5 goals in the 4 major international tournaments he has featured in before Euro 2012. Such a stat speaks volumes about his failure to bring his club form to the international arena and is woefully short of each of his fans’ expectations given his caliber and ability.

The Group of Death is living up to its promise

Group B has fulfilled its tag of being the most exciting and enthralling contest in Euro 2012. Four teams, four games and 360 minutes of riveting football has been a treat for every football follower in every nook and corner of the world. To see Germany at the top might not be much of a surprise but to see Netherlands at the bottom of the pile and Denmark fighting for the second berth is surely something very few had bet on coming into the tournament. Only a miracle can now save the Dutch from falling by the wayside and matchday 3 of Group B will be the most-awaited day in the Euro 2012 calendar. Denmark will look to emulate their opening match display against the mighty Germans while Portugal will fancy their chances against the under-performing Oranje. Such is the closeness of the teams in this group that even Germany have a mathematical chance of being knocked out!