Denmark team guide

A youthful Denmark side surprised even their coach by reaching last summer's UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship finals, advancing to the last four, and the manner in which they booked their place in Wales suggests they can go further this time.

Søren Randa-Boldt's team managed six victories out of six in qualification, including a 1-0 triumph over group hosts Scotland at the start of the second qualifying round that the 41-year-old said "felt like a final". They could savour the real thing on 31 August. "I am very optimistic," said Randa-Boldt, whose charges won nine of their first ten fixtures in 2013, drawing the other. 

"If an Under-19 squad can be called experienced, then I think that applies to us as many of these players played in last year's final tournament. Germany and France appear very strong, but if we can avoid them in the draw we have a clear goal of finishing among the top four, thereby qualifying for the [2014 FIFA] U-20 Women's World Cup in Canada." They will be without Karoline Smidt Nielsen in Wales after she was called up for UEFA Women's EURO 2013.

Denmark won the first edition of the UEFA European Women's U18 Championship which preceded this competition, yet have never got beyond the last four since the switch to U19s. Indeed, they have contested the semis on three occasions – not a bad return from only four final tournament ventures.

Route to finals
First qualifying round: 11-0 Moldova, 5-0 Slovakia, 3-1 Iceland (Group 6 winners)
Second qualifying round: 1-0 Scotland, 2-1 Austria, 3-0 Denmark (Group 3 winners)
Top scorer: Camilla Andersen (8)

Key players
Luna Gewitz (defender, Fortuna Hjørring), Ida Karstoft (defender, Thisted FC), Frederikke Thøgersen (winger, Fortuna Hjørring), Camilla Andersen (forward, KoldingQ).

Coach: Søren Randa-Boldt
Date of birth: 04/10/1971
Playing career: Vanløse IF (youth)
Coaching career: Vanløse IF (youth), Brøndby IF (youth, first-team assistant), Skovlunde IF, Denmark women's U19

Denmark coach Søren Randa-Boldt©Sportsfile

Once a promising youth player, Randa-Boldt had to wait until embarking on his coaching career before really making an impact. He spent time with leading youth outfit Vanløse before switching to the women's game and Brøndby and Skovlunde.

He combined that work with a position as assistant to Henrik Lehm, coach of the women's U19 side that progressed to the semi-finals in 2006, before taking the reins himself in June 2008. Holder of a UEFA Pro licence, Randa-Boldt guided Denmark to the final tournament at the fourth attempt in 2012, making the semi-finals – he will hope to go one better in Wales.

UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship record
2011/12: semi-finals
2010/11: did not qualify
2009/10: did not qualify
2008/09: did not qualify
2007/08: did not qualify
2006/07: group stage
2005/06: semi-finals
2004/05: did not qualify
2003/04: did not qualify
2002/03: did not qualify
2001/02: semi-finals

Honours in other UEFA women's competitions
UEFA European Women's Under-18 Championship
Winners: 1998