BREDA, August 3, 2017 – Thirtythree years since the firstsemi-final defeat. Four years since the last. When Simone Boye Sørensen put theball on the penalty spot she had the chance to end a Danish curse - and earnthe coaching staff a beer.
A few seconds later Austria had been knocked out of theUEFA Women's Euro and Denmark had reached a historic first UEFA Women's EUROfinal.
Danish head coach Nils Nielsen said: “It was a very longmatch and a match when you get a bit older while you are standing at the sidewatching it. I'm very happy that we ended up as winners today and I think itwas deserved.”
The semi-finals had been jinxed for the Danish women'steam. In 1984, 1991, 1993, 2001 and 2013 they were knocked out in the semis.Finally, in Breda, they broke the mould.
Nielsen, speaking before the other semi, said: “I’m veryhappy that we are the first team in the final. No matter who we play in thefinal, we are going to be underdogs. We like that.”
Sørensen may have scored the winning penalty but most of theplayers ran towardsgoalkeeper Stina Lykke Petersen to celebrate after the winner. After two saves and one Austrian shot over the bar Denmark won thepenalty shootout easily 3-0 to reach Sunday's final in Enschede.
Goalkeeper Petersen said: “I don’t thinkI was the main actor, the whole team was the main actor. They played 120 minutesvery good in front of me and they created chances. So it was a team effort andit’s amazing to be in the final.”
Four summers ago four Norwegian penalties knocked Denmarkout of the Euro in the semi-final.
Five members of the starting line-up then returned thistime (Stina Lykke Petersen, Theresa Nielsen, Line Røddik Hansen, PernilleHarder and Katrine Veje) while one (Nadia Nadim) came on as a substitute.
Petersen explained how her shootout strategy made thedifference this time.
She said: "I was looking at the players, I always dothat and I talked to my goalkeeper coach before the game. They had penalties intheir last game so we watched that of course, but mostly I just go with myinstinct, look at the player and try just to go for it and it worked out.”
Denmark faces host Netherlands in the final. A historicmoment for both. But first it's time for a beer for the Danish coaching staff.
Nielsen said: “We have to go to bed because we haveanother match. So when I put them to bed the staff will have one beer. Onebeer. We haven’t won anything yet”,
Follow Karl Sundström on Twitter @sundstrom_karl
