Daily Times

AARHUS: Christian Eriksen scored twice to lead Denmark to a 2-0 win over Wales in their Nations League opener on Sunday, ending a week of turmoil for the national team on a high note. The Danish FA (DBU) was forced to field a scratch side made up of third-tier and futsal players for Wednesday’s friendly against Slovakia following a contract dispute over image rights with the regular internationals who helped Denmark reach the last 16 in this year’s World Cup. The parties reached a short-term agreement on Thursday to allow the players to return and they were greeted with loud cheers as they walked on to the pitch in Aarhus, despite being labelled greedy by many supporters during the week. “DBU and the players seem to have forgotten the national team is bigger than both of them and have ended up alienating us regular Danes. They need to find a true compromise and make it about what happens on the pitch,” said 23-year-old student Johannes. The Welsh fans chanted “you’re only here for the money” but that did not faze the Danes as Eriksen scored the opening goal after half an hour with a low shot into the bottom left corner of the net. Eriksen added the second with a 63rd-minute penalty following a handball by Wales defender Ethan Ampadu.

Published in Daily Times, September 11^th 2018.