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Greece – Denmark 0–3 (second half): Danes take commanding lead | World Cup Qualifier

Updated

Newsroom September 8 10:03

Denmark sealed a 3–0 victory in the 81st minute through Rasmus Højlund. After receiving a clever pass from Frøholt, Dørggu broke into the box and rounded goalkeeper Tzolakis, whose mistimed exit left the goal exposed. The ball struck the right post, but Højlund, alert and following the play, tapped it into an empty net to extend Denmark’s lead. Moments later, Denmark made a double substitution, with goalscorer Damsgaard replaced by Matt O’Riley and Frøholt making way for Jakob Bruun Larsen. Earlier, Greece had threatened when Mavropanos rose for a powerful header from a corner in the 79th minute, only for Schmeichel to block confidently. The Greeks tried to respond again through Pavlidis, Masouras, and Tzolis linking up in the 77th, but the final ball to Ioannidis didn’t connect. Soon after, Ioannidis entered the match in place of Zafeiris, while Greece later swapped Tzolis for Pelkas. Denmark, meanwhile, brought on Albert Grønbæk for Joakim Mæhle in the 90th minute to close out the match.

Denmark took the lead in the 32nd minute, with Damsgaard finishing clinically to make it 0–1. Just moments earlier, Froholdt had created danger when he broke into the box from the left and found himself in a strong shooting position, but his effort hit the side netting. Greece escaped that scare, yet the Danish pressure finally paid off with the opening goal.

In the midfield, several mistakes have already been made, something particularly worrying given the difficulty of the match. At the 21st minute, Olsen delivered a dangerous cross into the Greek box, but Vagiannidis reacted quickly, clearing the ball to a corner with considerable risk, as there was even a chance of an own goal from the deflection. Just minutes later, Konstantelias played a fine pass to Karetsas, who found himself in a promising shooting position, only to be denied at the last moment by a decisive Danish defensive intervention. At the 24th minute, Kouliarakis made a crucial block on Froholdt’s shot, keeping the score level.

The Greek internationals are trying to find open spaces, mainly through quick transitions from defense to attack, aiming to capitalize on any mistakes in the Danish defense. In the 15th minute, Tzolis attempted a shot, but it went wide. In the last few minutes, Denmark has increased its intensity and looks more threatening, pressing to create dangerous situations for the Greek defense and find a way to goal.

The Greek national team is hosting Denmark at the “Georgios Karaiskakis” stadium for Matchday 2 of Group C in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. After 45 minutes of play, the two sides are level at 0-0, in a game full of intensity and opportunities on both ends.

Greece started strongly, pressing high and looking eager to control the game. The first big chance came in the 15th minute, when Christos Tzolis tried a shot that went wide. Earlier, in the 6th minute, Dimitris Zafeiris needed medical attention after suffering a bloody nose, briefly stopping play.

As the game progressed, Denmark raised their tempo and looked more dangerous. In the 10th minute, Hjulmand’s cross flashed across the Greek goal, but no teammate was able to convert.

Ivan Jovanović lined Greece up in his usual 4-2-3-1 formation, with Giannis Konstantelias returning to the starting XI as a playmaker behind striker Vangelis Pavlidis. At the back, Mavropanos and Koulierakis partnered in central defense, supported by Tsimikas on the left and Vagiannidis on the right, while Kourbelis and Zafeiris controlled the midfield.

Denmark’s coach, Brian Riemer, opted for a 4-3-3, starting 19-year-old Frøholt in midfield and Birreth as the spearhead of the attack.

After their impressive 5-1 win over Belarus in the opening match, Greece is looking to continue their momentum with a win against one of their main rivals for qualification. The second half promises to be exciting, as both sides seem determined to go for the victory.

Η 11αδα μας 📋 #startingxi pic.twitter.com/SgP2FIR7o0

— Ethniki Omada (@EthnikiOmada) September 8, 2025

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Greece vs Denmark: The National Team aims for “Two wins out of two” in World Cup qualifiers – Lineups

Greece defeats Montenegro 17-10: Ends World Cup Qualifiers in Romania with third place

Den danske startellever 🇩🇰

Brian Riemer har valgt disse 11 spillere til at starte kampen for Herrelandsholdet mod Grækenland 🫡

Holdet er klar til at jagte sejren!

📸 @fbbillederdk #ForDanmark pic.twitter.com/zVyebdG8Rp

— Fodboldlandsholdene 🇩🇰 (@dbulandshold) September 8, 2025

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