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Denmark wave farewell to World Cup after defeat to hosts Australia

Denmark’s run in the Women's World Cup is over after a 2-0 defeat to host country Australia in Sydney on Monday.

Published: 7 August 2023 17:07 CEST
Denmark wave farewell to World Cup after defeat to hosts Australia
Denmark's Simone Boye Sørensen and Pernille Harder after World Cup defeat against Australia. Photo: Franck Fife/AFP/Ritzau Scanpix

Goals in each half from the Matildas in the last-16 tie took the co-hosts through to a quarter-final against either France or Morocco.  

Denmark had approached the game as optimistic underdogs having reached the World Cup knockout stages for the first time in 28 years, in what was their first appearance at the tournament since 2015.

READ ALSO: How to watch the Women’s World Cup in Denmark

But a toothless performance from the Danes saw Australia progress to the quarter final, where they will meet either France or Morocco.

Denmark coach Lars Søndergaard said he was “proud but disappointed”, having seen his side have the better of the opening part of the game.

“The match today was decided by Australia’s effectiveness in front of goal and us not being so efficient in front of goal,” he said.

“I think we started better. Up until the 1-0, I think we were the better team and played a very good game up until then.”

“I feel we did everything we could. There were some areas where we weren’t good enough, but I think we can be proud,” he told Danish TV channel TV3.

Søndergaard had previously announced he will quit as national team coach after the World Cup.

“We had hoped we could get to the final, but it was (still) a fantastic moment to be involved in. I just have to let it sink in before I can say what I really feel,” he told TV3.

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COPENHAGEN

Copenhagen announces Olympic ambition with spending on potential bid

Copenhagen’s city government has allocated half a million kroner to explore the possibility of hosting the Olympic Games.

Published: 9 September 2024 14:46 CEST
Copenhagen announces Olympic ambition with spending on potential bid

Copenhagen Municipality’s 2025 budget includes a large fund set aside to look into the viability of a future Olympic Games bid.

Presenting the 2025 budget on Monday, the city government said that next year’s financial plan includes half a million kroner allocated for a preliminary study which will explore the possibility of bringing the Olympics to Copenhagen.

The Danish capital also confirmed it will submit an official bid to host the Youth Olympic Games.

“My vision is for us to have the smallest and most sustainable Olympics ever,” Mia Nyegaard, the city’s elected official for Culture and Leisure, said in a press release accompanying the budget.

The 2028 and 2032 editions of the Olympics have already been awarded to Los Angeles and Brisbane respectively, meaning a Danish bid would be for 2036 at the earliest. The Youth Olympics could take place as soon as 2030.

Nyegaard attended this summer’s Olympics in Paris with the aim of learning more about the possibility of having archery events at Nyhavn, placing an Olympic village on a cruise ship in Copenhagen’s harbour, and constructing a removable and reusable Olympic stadium.

“I dream of bringing the Olympics to Copenhagen because I believe it can inspire many people to do their best. But also to showcase everything we are capable of in Denmark when it comes to organising sports events,” Nyegaard said during her visit to the Paris Olympics, as reported by DR.

Hosting the Olympics in Copenhagen would take years of planning and lobbying for the project to ever become a reality.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) requires a financial guarantee from the central government before it considers a bid – something Copenhagen is not certain to be given.

During the Olympics, Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt told DR that such a guarantee is not a straightforward matter.

“An Olympics costs an enormous amount of money stretching into the billions of kroner, and I’m not going to promise that we can easily manage it,” he said at the time.

Denmark won nine medals at the Paris Olympics, including two golds. The Paralympics, which concluded on Sunday, saw Denmark take home ten medals, including two golds.

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