Football
2018-19 UEFA Nations League, League B
DEN 
2
FT
 WAL
0
ESPN 6y

Christian Eriksen's Denmark double sees off Wales in UEFA Nations League

Christian Eriksen's double ensured a re-united Denmark saw off Wales in their UEFA Nations League opener.

A row over the players' commercial rights saw the Danes forced to field a makeshift side of amateur and fustal players for Wednesday's friendly against Slovakia and it looked likely the issue would continue for this clash before a settlement was agreed and Denmark's first-team players returned.

However, despite an improvement in quality, Denmark started the game slugglishly with visitors Wales proving much the better side in the opening stages. While a patched-up Denmark side was being beaten 3-0 in Trnava, Wales opened their UEFA Nations League campaign with a thumping 4-1 victory over the Republic of Ireland.

And Ryan Giggs' men appeared to bring that momentum with them as they started on the front foot in Aarhus. Gareth Bale came close to opening the scoring on 29 minutes as he isolated defender Simon Kjaer before unleashing an effort just wide.

But their good start was undone as, just three minutes later, they were behind.

Ajax's Lasse Schone found Henrik Dalsgaard with a crossfield pass before the Brentford man fed Eriksen, whose low shot went in off the post.

Things got worse for Denmark when, on 62 minutes, the referee pointed to spot after he adjudged Viktor Fischer's shot to have hit Ethan Ampadu on the arm. Tottenham midfielder Eriksen made no mistake as he emphatically fired the spot-kick past Wayne Hennessey.

The result leaves the sides level on three points with the Republic of Ireland bottom on zero.

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