Wales suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat to Denmark in their UEFA Nations League clash as Rasmus Hojlund’s second-half penalty secured a second victory over Craig Bellamy’s side.
The result completed a Denmark double over Wales after the Danes had already claimed a 2-0 victory in Copenhagen last weekend. This records another loss after Portugal began their UEFA Nations League campaign with a 1-0 victory over Wales.
Wales arrived at the contest with confidence after beating World Cup quarter-finalists Norway three days earlier, but the demanding international schedule appeared to take its toll as Bellamy’s side struggled to reproduce the energy and intensity of that performance.
Bellamy made just one change to the team that defeated Norway, with Brennan Johnson replacing Daniel James in attack.
Denmark were also without Brentford midfielder Mikkel Damsgaard, while captain Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg was forced off with an injury inside the opening 10 minutes.
Wales enjoyed slightly more possession during the first half but Denmark created the more threatening opportunities. Ethan Ampadu sent an effort over the crossbar from around 25 yards as he continued his search for a first Wales goal, while Johnson also came close after volleying wide at the far post.
Denmark responded when Wales were caught in possession, allowing Hojlund to fire an effort towards goal, although his attempt lacked the power to seriously trouble Ward. The visitors continued to apply pressure as the half progressed.
Denmark’s Gustav Isaksen was involved in several dangerous moments, including an incident where he went down under a challenge from Ben Davies while attempting to shoot. Some Denmark players appealed for a penalty, but the referee waved play on.
Morten Hjulmand headed wide, while Isaksen also missed two opportunities in quick succession. Oliver Provstgaard then sent a header over the crossbar as Denmark continued to threaten before Wales reached half-time with the scores level.
The demanding schedule appeared to affect both teams after the interval, with Wales unable to maintain the intensity they had shown against Norway.
Denmark immediately looked more dangerous after the restart.
Andreas Skov Olsen broke down the right and delivered a dangerous cross towards Hojlund, whose sliding effort was brilliantly saved by Ward with his legs.
Wales attempted to respond, but their attacking momentum was limited. Sorba Thomas, who had impressed against Norway, was unable to exert the same influence, while a cross from the winger ricocheted off Lewis Koumas before ending safely in the hands of Mads Hermansen.
The decisive moment arrived in the 75th minute when Ward made a costly error inside his own penalty area. The Wrexham goalkeeper gave the ball away to Isaksen and attempted to recover from his mistake by closing down the Denmark attacker.
However, Ward brought down Isaksen, leaving the referee with little choice but to award a penalty. Hojlund stepped forward and calmly converted from the spot to give Denmark a 1-0 lead.
Wales attempted to respond, with Bellamy introducing several substitutes in an effort to inject greater urgency into the attack. Denmark remained organised and successfully protected their advantage until the final whistle.
The defeat also saw Ben Cabango collect his second yellow card of the competition, meaning the defender will miss Wales’ trip to Norway in November.
Despite the defeat, Wales move up to third place in Group A4 after Norway’s defeat to Portugal sent them to the bottom of the standings on head-to-head results.
For Denmark, the victory represents another important result against Wales and gives them a second consecutive win over Bellamy’s team.
Player Ratings
Wales Player Ratings vs Denmark
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| Danny Ward | 5.3/10 |
| Neco Williams | 5.6/10 |
| Ben Cabango | 5.1/10 |
| Ben Davies | 6.1/10 |
| Dasilva | 6.5/10 |
| Daniel James | 5.6/10 |
| Ethan Ampadu | 4.8/10 |
| Brennan Johnson | 6.0/10 |
| Joe Cullen | 5.1/10 |
| Sorba Thomas | 5.6/10 |
| Lewis Koumas | 4.5/10 |
Denmark Player Ratings vs Wales
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| Mohamed Daramy | 5.3/10 |
| Rasmus Hojlund | 7.0/10 |
| Gustav Isaksen | 7.2/10 |
| Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg | 5.3/10 |
| Morten Froholdt | 5.3/10 |
| Morten Hjulmand | 4.9/10 |
| Joakim Maehle | 6.5/10 |
| Oliver Provstgaard | 6.5/10 |
| Joachim Andersen | 7.6/10 |
| Nissen | 5.5/10 |
| Mads Hermansen | 5.6/10 |
Wales vs Denmark Match Statistics
| Statistic | Denmark | Wales |
|---|---|---|
| Shots | 5 | 11 |
| Shots on Target | 2 | 3 |
| Possession | 53% | 47% |
| Passes | 538 | 388 |
| Pass Accuracy | 86% | 86% |
| Fouls | 10 | 9 |
| Yellow Cards | 3 | 1 |
| Red Cards | 0 | 0 |
| Offsides | 0 | 4 |
| Corners | 3 | 3 |
