Pape treble caps fine Denmark win

Denmark 5-2 Scotland
Maiken With Pape claimed a hat-trick as Denmark completed their UEFA WOMEN’S EURO 2009™ preparations with a comfortable win against Scotland, capped by a goal from Cathrine Paaske Sørensen on the night of her 100th cap.

Comfortable win
Denmark begin their finals campaign against hosts Finland in Helsinki on Sunday week, and at Gladsaxe Stadion in the northern suburbs of Copenhagen against opponents they beat twice in qualifying raced into a 3-0 lead at the break, two Pape goals added to by Johanna Rasmussen. After Pape completed her hat-trick, Scotland pulled two goals back to Denmark coach Kenneth Heiner-Møller's frustration, but Paaske Sørensen had the final word.

Pape treble
Eight minutes in, Pape had her first goal, turning in a Rasmussen cross. It was two on the half-hour after Camilla Sand Andersen set up Pape and Rasmussen had a goal of her own shortly before the interval. Pape's third arrived after Paaske Sørensen ran on to a long Katrine Pedersen pass and her cross was turned in by the striker.

Clinching goal
With 12 minutes left Scotland, who lost 4-0 in France on Wednesday, began a fight-back and Rachel Corsie and Kristy McBride swiftly reduced arrears. But it finished 5-2 when Pape's replacement Nadia Nadim was fouled in the box and Paaske Sørensen scored on the rebound after her penalty was blocked.

Coach's verdict
Heiner-Møller, whose team face Ukraine and the Netherlands in Group A after playing Finland, said: "We lost focus for large parts of the second half and let in two goals. That is OK against opponents like Scotland, but if the same happens against Finland, we will be on our way home very soon. However, we had a fine first half, and Maiken With Pape did particularly well. She worked hard and took her opportunities" Scotland, only beaten to the finals on away goals by Russia in the play-offs, begin their 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup qualifying campaign in Greece on 24 October, with two Group 3 fixtures to come against Denmark next summer.

Denmark: Cederkvist, Brogaard (Troelsgaard, 62), M Jensen, Røddik Hansen, Rydahl Bukh; Sand Andersen, K Pedersen, Paaske Sørensen; T Rasmussen (Veje, 45), Pape (Nadim, 70), J Rasmussen.