In the group stage, results are king. Yes, the Danes looked flat, were careless on the ball, and had some moments of extreme good luck but the fact is, they came out with 3 points.
Cameroon looked great. In terms of possession and pace, they looked superior, but a few blown chances granted them naught but a ticket home. It's a shame that today's Cameroon didn't show up against Japan - I believe such a match would have produced a vastly different result.
Conversely, if the Danes bring the same lead-footed and sloppy play into the Japan match, Samurai Blue might have a shock in store. They also have some serious work to do at the back, especially with the loss of Kjaer. Remember, the Danes will need a win to open the gate to the knockout stage.
Cheers to Denmark for fighting back from an early - and far too easily conceded - lead. As in the first match, Rommedahl was vital for the Danes. It's amusing to hear and see so many comments calling attention to Rommedahl's age. Sure, he's no spring chicken, but he's proving that he's still far from out-to-pasture. He served Bendtner an unmissable goal, and took matters into his own hands with a clinical left-footed strike.
Denmark's first goal was one of the prettiest of the tournament thus far. An enormous diagonal pass from Simon Kjaer, beautifully controlled by Rommedahl, and then sent in with Scandinavian precision for our friend Nicklas. If the Danes could make their game this pretty all the time, they could do some serious damage in South Africa.
I'm sorry to see Cameroon go. They played a marvelous match and deserved the chance to compete for the chance to move on in the competition. For the sake of the tournament and the continent, let's hope the remaining African nations are able to make an impact. Here's looking at you, Didier.
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