Denmark and Ukraine seek first points

Denmark and Ukraine will both be determined to get their first points on the board at UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2009™ when the two losing sides from the opening games in Group A meet on Matchday 2 at the Helsinki Football Stadium, the first fixture to be played at the home of HJK Helsinki.

• Though beaten 1-0 by host nation Finland on Sunday, Denmark were the better side in the first half and had chances to level after Maija Saari scored what proved to be the matchwinner in the 49th minute.

• The Danes are expected to stick with their familiar 4-3-3 formation deployed against the Finns, with most of the attacking threat coming from Johanna Rasmussen on the left flank, while central striker Maiken Pape will be hoping to get more time and space on the ball.

• Ukraine know they need to tighten their defence after effectively losing their first ever match at a major tournament inside the opening nine minutes, conceding both goals in their 2-0 defeat by the Netherlands. 

• The bright spot going into Wednesday's game was Ukraine's much better second half performance in which they applied real pressure on the Dutch defence.

• The qualifying Group 5 games involving Denmark and Ukraine were the first occasions these nations had ever faced off in senior women's internationals. When they took each other on in Chernigov on 22 June 2008, both had 100 per cent record with Denmark having won six games and Ukraine five. It proved to be the latter who took the group lead thanks to Darina Apanaschenko's 28th-minute goal that secured a 1-0 win.

• The teams were:
Ukraine: Nadezhda Baranova, Olena Mazurenko, Tetyana Chorna, Valentyna Kotyk, Lyudmyla Pekur, Olena Khodyreva, Vira Dyatel (Iryna Vasylyuk), Nataliya Zinchenko (Nataliya Sukhorukova), Yuliya Vaschenko, Alla Lyshafay, Daryna Apanaschenko.
Denmark: Heidi Johansen, Mia Brogaard, Katrine Pedersen, Christina Øyangen Ørntoft, Bettina Falk, Cathrine Paaske Sørensen (Sanne Troelsgaard), Janne Madsen (Lene Jensen), Camilla Sand Andersen, Merete Pedersen (Kristine Petersen), Johanna Rasmussen, Ditte Larsen.

• Ukraine drew 1-1 at home to Portugal on 27 September but they still knew a point in Viborg four days later would clinch automatic qualification. Instead Merete Pedersen's 63rd-minute goal delighted a 9,155-strong home crowd and gave Denmark first place, though Ukraine were to overcome Slovenia 5-0 on aggregate in the play-offs.

• The teams were:
Denmark: Heidi Johansen, Mia Brogaard, Katrine Pedersen, Christina Øyangen Ørntoft, Line Røddik Hansen, Cathrine Paaske Sørensen, Mariann Knudsen, Camilla Sand Andersen, Merete Pedersen, Johanna Rasmussen, Maiken Pape.
Ukraine: Nadezhda Baranova, Olena Mazurenko, Tetyana Chorna, Valentyna Kotyk, Lyudmyla Pekur (Iryna Vasylyuk), Olena Khodyreva, Vira Dyatel, Svitlana Frisco (Olga Boychenko), Yuliya Vaschenko (Nataliya Zinchenko), Alla Lyshafay, Daryna Apanaschenko.

• Since qualifying, Merete Pedersen has retired from international football and the former Mia Olsen has become Mia Brogaard after marrying.

• While Ukraine are in their first women's finals, Denmark have only once failed to be among the last eight in UEFA European competition, in 1987. Their best performances were reaching the semi-finals in 1984, 1991, 1993 and 2001. In 1991 and 1993 the Danes respectively beat Italy and Germany to secure third place.

• Denmark have also qualified for four out of five FIFA Women's World Cups, reaching the quarter-finals in 1991 and 1995 but falling in the group stage in 1999 and 2007.

• Danish club Brøndby IF had their 2008/09 UEFA Women's Cup campaign ended at the quarter-final stage by Russian champions Zvezda-2005 who, fielding a side full of Ukrainian internationals, won 4-2 away and 3-1 at home in November.

• In the first leg Tine Cederkvist, Line Røddik Hansen, Ditte Larsen, Cathrine Paaske Sørensen, Lene Jensen, Nanna Christiansen, Mia Brogaard and goalscorer Pape lined up for Brøndby. Nadezhda Baranova, Olena Khodyreva, Alla Lyshafay and goalscorers Nataliya Zinchenko and Vira Dyatel were in the Zvezda team.

• In the second leg Zvezda's side again contained Baranova, Khodyreva , Lyshafay, Zinchenko and goalscorer Dyatel. Brøndby included Cederkvist, Hansen, Larsen, Sørensen, Jensen, Tanja Christiansen, Olsen and Pape, who scored the Danish team's only goal before making way for Nanna Christiansen. Pape scored twice, including a penalty, and Sørensen and Jensen were also among those on target.

• In the second qualifying round, Brøndby beat Ukrainian representatives Naftokhimik 5-1. Cederkvist, Brogaard, Sørensen, Nanna Christiansen and Pape started and Lene Jensen came off the bench for Brøndby.