All square at Värendsvallen

By Peter Bruun

Sweden 0-0 Denmark
Five weeks before facing each other in the opening match of UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2005™ in Blackpool, Sweden and Denmark contested an even 0-0 friendly match at Värendsvallen in Växjö.

Tactical changes
Sweden changed from their usual 4-3-3 formation to 4-4-2 but despite the home side's early pressure, Denmark had the first opportunity of the game in the ninth minute, when Sweden goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl was forced to dive at the feet of Johanna Rasmussen. On 13 minutes Josephine Öqvist headed just past the Denmark goal, and had another chance three minutes later when she shot narrowly over the crossbar.

Good chance
Slowly Denmark got more into the match and Mie Olsen had a shot from the edge of the penalty area saved by Lindahl before Stine Kjaer Jensen missed another good chance. Sweden's Malin Mogreen was denied by Denmark goalkeeper Tine Cederkvist on 31 minutes and almost immediately Öqvist had three attempts in quick succession, Cederkvist saving the first two and Ökvist sending the third over the bar. Five minutes before the break Tanja Christensen had Denmark´s best opportunity of the half, shooting directly at Lindahl when unmarked in the box.

Even second half
Shortly after the start of the second half, Christensen saw another shot saved by Lindahl. But on 55 minutes Sweden striker Hanna Ljungberg inadvertently got in the way of a short-range shot from team-mate Öqvist which looked goalbound. Seven minutes later Ljungberg herself shot just past the goal, before Sweden's Maria Haraldsson missed a good opportunity in the 67th minute. With ten minutes left, Denmark's leading scorer Merete Pedersen came close, but once again Linddahl saved brilliantly and four minutes from time, Haraldsson was denied by Cederkvist.