Bulgaria v Denmark - MATCH REPORT
Fairytale return for Gronkjaer
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| Denmark's striker Jon Dahl Tomasson (L) is tackled by Bulgaria's defender Zlatomir Zagorcic (down), 18 June 2004 at Braga's stadium, during their Euro 2004 group C football match at the European Nations championship in Portugal. AFP PHOTO Dimitar DILKOFF |
Bulgaria became the second country to be knocked out of Euro 2004 when goals from Jon Dahl Tomasson and Jesper Gronkjaer lifted Denmark to a 2-0 win over the 1994 World Cup semi-finalists on Friday.
For Gronkjaer it represented a fairytale comeback after missing the first week because of the death of his mother from cancer.
While Plamen Markov's team join Russia in heading home after the completion of the group stage matches next week Denmark now face Sweden in a mouthwatering Group C clash next Tuesday with hopes of booking their ticket into the last eight.
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| Bulgarian supporters holds a giant Bulgaria's flag, 18 June 2004 at Braga's stadium, during the Euro 2004 Group C football match between Bulgaria and Denmark at the European Nations championship in Portugal . AFP PHOTO Aris MESSINIS |
The 1992 champions were rewarded for their virtually total first half domination at Braga's troglyditic 30,000-seater stadio Municipal cut out of the mountainside overlooking the city with Tomasson's goal a minute before the break.
It was a neatly worked move originating from a delicate pass from Everton's Thomas Graveson, who was returning from suspension, into the penalty area to Martin Jorgensen, who picked out Tomasson and the AC Milan ace sidefooted the ball into an open goal.
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| The Portuguese referee Lucilio Batista (C) gives a yellow card to Bulgaria's midfielder Marian Hristov (L) as Bulgaria's midfielder and captain Stilian Petrov (R) protests against this decision, 18 June 2004 at Braga's stadium, during the Euro 2004 group C football match between Bulgaria and Denmark at the European Nations championship in Portugal. Denmark won 1 to 0. AFP PHOTO Mladen ANTONOV |
Danish coach Morten Olsen was forced to make an early substitution when he had to bring on the Birmingham City-bound Gronkjaer Dennis Rommedahl in the 24th minute, the PSV Eindhoven winger hobbling off nursing a left thigh injury.
Olsen's opposite number introduced striker Zdravko Lazarov for defender Vladamir Ivanov with 30 minutes remaining in an attempt to keep Bulgaria's Euro hopes alive.
Bulgaria captain Stilian Pertov was sent off ten minutes from time and Gronkjaer capped a good afternoon's work with Denmark's second in stoppage time after a neat 1-2 with Tomasson.