Sponsor Logo

    Cymru vs. Denmark | 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup – UWNL League Stage – Grp A4

    Live

        Live ReportMatch Summary

        2. The official teamsheet for this match can be downloaded by clicking here.

        3. Angharad James

          The Cymru captain’s comments to BBC Wales following the match:

          “It’s never nice not to win a game, but I’m so proud of the girls today. It took a little while for us to get into the game, and that’s something we have to be conscious of, but after the first 20 minutes we settled into the game, and gave them a really good game. As a group we’re working so hard, we give every ounce of energy we have when we put this red shirt on and it means absolutely everything to everyone.”

        4. Rhian Wilkinson

          The Cymru manager spoke to BBC Radio Wales after the match:

          “I’m really proud of this team. We made decisions to go for it, we did everything we could. This is the narrow margins of League A, we miss a chance and they score a chance. This was a top-level performance where any team could have won. They probably edged us in the game in terms of opportunities, but we were right there. But we’ve got to make our chances count.”

        5. Match Summary

          Football is a game of chances and Rhian Wilkinson’s team were dealt a harsh lesson as Denmark’s winner came immediately after Hannah Cain missed a chance to give Cymru the lead.

          Cymru suffered a further blow when late in the match Ceri Holland was forced off the pitch on a stretcher following a heavy challenge that left her requiring lengthy treatment on the field of play.

          Wilkinson will await a medical assessment of the Cymru attacker and will hope for positive news ahead of future games.

          This was a well contested game with Denmark on top in the early stages as they created more chances and took the lead through Signe Bruun.

          Cymru looked on the ropes for a period of time after this as Denmark went looking for a second goal but Wilkinson’s team have such grit and determination and this kept their opponents at bay.

          Cymru eventually enjoyed a period of dominance themselves and could sense that their pressure may lead to an equaliser.

          From a corner, Cymru piled the pressure on the Danish defence and when the ball worked its way to Holland, she remained calm and from a tight angle fired a stunning strike into the roof of the net to make it 1-1.

          The Red Wall thought Cymru were going to take the lead when Alice Griffiths played a long ball forward to put Cain through one-on-one with Maja Bay Østergaard. As the crowd waited for the ball to hit the back of the net, the Danish goalkeeper blocked the shot and Denmark counterattacked with precision.

          With Amalie Vangsgaard now one-on-one with OIivia Clark, she took her chance to give Denmark a 2-1 lead. The goal turned out to be the winner.

          Cymru now go to Gothenburg for their next match against Sweden in the UEFA Women’s Nations League on Tuesday (8 April).

        6. FULL-TIME

          It’s disappointment for Cymru in this UEFA Women’s Nations League match. Football is a game of chances and Cymru were dealt a harsh lesson of that in this game as Denmark’s winner came immediately after Hannah Cain missed a chance to take the lead.

          Rhian Wilkinson will await a medical assessment after Ceri Holland was forced off the pitch on a stretcher with a concerning injury following lengthy treatment.

          Meanwhile, attentions will turn towards Tuesday’s game against Sweden in Gothenburg.

        7. 90' + 10'

          Yellow card

          Amalie Vangsgaard

        8. 90' + 10'

          Yellow card

          Amalie Vangsgaard

        9. 90' + 6'

          When a Cymru attack breaks down, Denmark play the ball forward to Harder. With Clark off her line, Harder attempts a lobbed ball. Fortunately for Cymru it goes wide of the post.

        10. 90' + 2'

          Joel has a pop at goal but her effort misses the target.

        11. 90'

          There will be 10 minutes of added on time.

        12. 87'

          Substitution

          POWELL Ella replaces HOLLAND Ceri

        13. 87'

          Substitution

          HUGHES Elise replaces GREEN Josie

        14. 87'

          Substitution

          POWELL Ella replaces HOLLAND Ceri

        15. 85'

          The stretcher is out for Holland here as she receives some lengthy treatment following a heavy tackle on the pitch.

        17. Cain came so close with this change to give Cymru the lead but after Østergaard’s save, Denmark run down the other end of the pitch to score and take the lead themselves.

        18. 76'

          Denmark’s defence remove the ball from danger but Cymru remain in their opponents half.

        19. 76'

          Cymru force a corner as The Red Wall roar them forward.

        20. 73'

          Goal

          Amalie Vangsgaard

        21. 72'

          Goal

          Amalie Vangsgaard

        22. 72'

          Cain is played through by a long ball forward but strikes straight at the goalkeeper. Denmark go down the other end of the pitch with their counter attack and take a 2-1 lead through Vangsgaard. Football can be so cruel.

        23. 70'

          Vangsgaard has a wonderful chance to put Denmark back in front with a free strike at goal but she sends her shot high over the bar.

        24. 66'

          Substitution

          GRIFFITHS Alice replaces JAMES Angharad

        25. 66'

          Substitution

          JOEL Lois replaces ROWE Rachel

        26. 66'

          Substitution

          GRIFFITHS Alice replaces JAMES Angharad

        27. 66'

          Substitution

          JOEL Lois replaces ROWE Rachel

        28. 61'

          Substitution

          Emma Snerle replaces Kathrine Møller Kühl

        29. 60'

          Substitution

          Janni Thomsen replaces Sofie Bredgaard

        30. 60'

          Substitution

          Amalie Vangsgaard replaces Signe Bruun

        31. 59'

          Substitution

          Janni Thomsen replaces Kathrine Møller Kühl

        32. 59'

          Substitution

          Amalie Vangsgaard replaces Signe Bruun

        33. 59'

          Substitution

          Emma Snerle replaces Sofie Bredgaard

        34. 56'

          Cymru have settled and applied their own pressure on the Danish defence. This game could go either way.

        35. 50'

          Denmark with the early pressure in the second half but the Cymru defence stand strong.

        36. 46'

          Substitution

          Sofie Svava replaces Katrine Veje

        37. 46'

          Substitution

          JONES Carrie replaces MORGAN Ffion Alys

        38. SECOND HALF

          The match gets back underway with Cymru taking the kick off.

        39. Moments to share with friends 😃

        40. Half-time summary

          This has been a well contested game with Denmark on top in the early stages. They created more chances and took a lead through Signe Bruun. Cymru looked on the ropes for a bit as Denmark went looking for a second goal but Rhian Wilkinson’s team have such grit and determination and that allowed them to hold off their opponents.

          Cymru eventually enjoyed a period of dominance themselves and could sense their pressure may lead to an equaliser. From a corner, Cymru piles the pressure on the Danish defence and when the ball worked its way to Holland, she remained calm and from a tight angle fired a stunning strike into the roof of the net to make it 1-1.

          Both teams created chances in the remainder of the half with both feeling they can take the three points when they come back out for the second half.

        41. 📸 From the boot to the net

        43. 36'

          Cymru enjoying themselves here as they force another corner with the Danish defence panicking. When the ball is played from the corner, the passage of play ends with Cain coming incredibly close to giving Cymru the lead but her fierce shot goes over the bar.

        44. 34'

          Goal

          HOLLAND Ceri

        45. 34'

          GÔL!!!!

          Holland scores a cracker by firing high into the net from a tight angle. A stunning finish.

        46. 34'

          Goal

          HOLLAND Ceri

        47. 34'

          From the corner, Cymru keep the pressure on Denmark and….

        48. 33'

          Denmark under pressure now as Cymru work the ball from the right wing to Woodham at the far post. She has time to take a touch and sends a thunderous strike at goal but a defender blocks it and diverts the ball behind for a corner.

        49. 30'

          Holland goes on a run for Cymru but under a challenge loses possession. The ball breaks for Cain, who elects to shoot from distance. The shot was wide but it gets The Red Wall cheering.

        50. 28'

          Denmark hit the crossbar when the ball was crossed into the box from a corner kick that eventually found its way to Kühl’s head.

        51. 22'

          Clark tips the ball over the crossbar from Bredgaard’s strike from outside the box. An excellent strike was matched by an excellent save.

        52. 17'

          Bredgaard shoots from the edge of the box but despite the power in the shot, it was comfortable for Clark to make the save by beating the ball down on the ground and under control.

        53. 📸 The Cymru XI

        55. 11'

          Cymru under more pressure as a Danish player find themselves free in the 18-yard box but the strike is blocked by Evans before being punched away by Clark. Denmark are unlucky not to be further ahead.

        56. 7'

          Goal

          Signe Bruun

        57. 7'

          Goal

          Signe Bruun

        58. 7'

          GOAL!

          Denmark have taken an early lead here in Cardiff after the ball from the left wing was passed inside before it was played to Bruun, who strike it inside Clark’s lefthand post.

        59. 5'

          With five minutes played the exchanges have been even between Cymru and Denmark with both teams confidently passing the ball around.

        61. KICK OFF

          Denmark get this encounter underway.

        62. '

          Substitution

          Sofie Svava replaces Katrine Veje

        63. '

          Substitution

          JONES Carrie replaces MORGAN Ffion Alys

        64. Prep done. Kick off is very near.

        65. The official UEFA team sheet for this match can be downloaded by clicking here.

        67. CYMRU XI

          Rhian Wilkinson has named five changes from the team that started the 1-1 draw against Sweden in Wrexham last month.

          The changes shouldn’t be unexpected. Ahead of the match, Rhian Wilkinson told BBC Wales: “Every coach has a different philosophy of that (rotation) but from day one I told the players I would be doing that, I am a coach that likes to make changes.”

          Lily Woodham, Rhiannon Roberts, Hannah Cain, Rachel Rowe and Ffion Morgan all start against Denmark.

        68. Gêm 240

        69. It’s warm and sunny in Caerdydd. Perfect weather for a football match.

          Team news is due at approximately 6:00pm.
          The match kicks off at 7:15pm.

        70. The squad are enjoying the lovely weather with a pre-match stroll around the team base.

        72. Ladd highlights Cymru progress

          Hayley Ladd, who became the latest Cymru centurion during the last international camp, also spoke to the media on Thursday afternoon and explained how the team has evolved under head coach Rhian Wilkinson.

          “As a squad we are taking each as it comes,” said Ladd. “We’re building confidently in terms of building layers to our style and what we can bring to the game to put in a more complete performance. We’re just loving the ride at the moment.

          “Every game in League A is tough so we just have to stay humble, but also be willing to put in the hard yards to make sure we match these top teams. There’s definitely a demand and a drive to increase performances and there’s a healthy competition across the squad.”

        75. Rhian Wilkinson on Cymru belief

          Cymru head coach Rhian Wilkinson spoke to the media earlier today and believes her side can beat any opposition in League A as they prepare to take on Denmark at the Cardiff City Stadium.

          “The word is consistency,” said Wilkinson. “On their day this team can beat anyone, I truly believe that. There’s always some luck involved in football, but you also make your own luck.

          “This team has been putting itself in positions where we lost to Italy and we’re frustrated and we tie with Sweden and we could have won. But now we go again, we’re proud of our two strong performances, but the real measure of a strong team is how you continuously put out strong performances, and this is another test of that.

          “It’s about us, how we perform and how we connect as a group. It’s about how we defend together and how we make our opportunities count. We’re very much across the opposition, but only as much as we need to be, because I truly believe if we perform to our levels then they are the ones who are going to have to watch out for us.”

        77. Meet the Ref

          Polish referee Michalina Diakow will take charge of the Nations League match between Cymru and Denmark in Cardiff on Friday night.

          The 33-year old has recently refereed UEFA matches in the Nations League and EURO 2025 qualifiers in addition to a number of U17 and U19 mini-tournaments. Diakow was the Fourth Official for the FIFA World Cup qualifier when Cymru defeated Kazakhstan 6-0 in Llanelli back in September 2021.

        80. Olivia Clark embracing Nations League challenge

          In her latest column for BBC Sport Wales, Cymru goalkeeper Olivia Clark looks ahead to the match against Denmark on Friday and reflects on the positives of holding Sweden to a 1-1 draw in their last match.

          “The Sweden game was a great one to be involved with,” said Clark. “We were disappointed not to win, but their ranking doesn’t lie and it was great to get a result against a top-tier nation. I think we produced a good performance and that came off the back of the Italy game where we were disappointed to lose 1-0.

          “Certainly, we come into these games targeting six points. We don’t feel out of place in Nations League A. We are definitely becoming more comfortable with the ball. Against Sweden I didn’t really have a clear cut chance to save. We aren’t just holding on for a point. We are competitive and we are trying to win games.

          We prepare now for what we know will be two tough games, starting with Denmark in Cardiff on Friday. Denmark will be hard, we know that. The last time they played us in Wales in the Nations League in 2023 they won 5-1, but that seems a while ago now. We’ve progressed a lot since then and we played a lot better in Denmark in the away tie.

          “It’s ideal preparation for Euro 2025. The Euros is becoming very real now, it’s over four months since we qualified and it has absolutely flown by, it feels like yesterday.”

          Read Olivia Clark’s column in full on the BBC Sport Wales website here.

        82. Rowe excited by positive approach

          Rachel Rowe sat down with the media on Tuesday afternoon and spoke about the change in approach that has brought a new and exciting style to this Cymru team.

          “We’re transforming into a nation that plays football,” said Rowe. “We’ve always prided ourselves on our defensive organisation and being difficult to break down; that’s what our identity has always been, but now we’re developing into something else.

          “That’s because we’re being given free rein to do that, and in the past, we haven’t been given that. On a training pitch, anyone can keep the ball, but to do it in a game with high stakes and where results have consequences, it’s exciting.”

          Cymru take on Denmark at the Cardiff City Stadium on Friday night with plenty of confidence and belief having gained a very credible draw against Sweden in their last UEFA Nations League match.

          “To see the progress that’s happening and what’s happened over the last few years, and to see we’re not being stagnant and that we are trying to improve and having a philosophy is exciting.”

          This will be Cymru’s last match in Cardiff before the EURO finals, and Rowe has called on the Red Wall to come out and get behind the team ahead of what will be a monumental summer in Switzerland.

          “Support is vital for us as players,” she added. “It’s like having an extra ten thousand players on the pitch. It’s that vocalness, that noise, and I guarantee if there was a statistic on it, you’re bound to perform better with more fans at games.

          “If you’ve never been before, come and experience it. Nobody should ever decide they don’t like something when they’ve never tried it.”

          Tickets for the match between Cymru and Denmark in Cardiff can be purchased online here.

        84. Preparations continue

          The Cymru squad were back on the training ground at the team base in Cardiff earlier today as preparations continued for the Nations League match against Denmark on Friday. (KO 7:15pm)

          Rhian Wilkinson’s side earned a share of the points with a 1-1 draw against Sweden at Wrexham in their last match and the side will be looking to build on that result and performance against the Danes.

          This will also be Cymru’s final match in Cardiff before they head to the EURO finals in Switzerland in the summer, so don’t miss your chance to support the team in this important Group A4 match. Tickets are available to purchase online here.

        86. Recent meetings

          There have been three recent fixtures between Cymru and Denmark with the two nations also being drawn together in the last edition of the UEFA Nations League.

          Denmark were the visitors to the Cardiff City Stadium in April 2021 for an international friendly. Pernille Harder put the Danes ahead in the opening half but Cymru equalised on the hour through Jess Fishlock (below) to claim an impressive draw in what was former head coach Gemma Grainger’s second game in charge.

          The next meeting also took place in Cardiff in September 2023 as Denmark claimed a 5-1 victory in the Nations League. Fishlock was again on target for Cymru but two late goals from the visitors made it a difficult night. However, a much closer match took place in Viborg the following month as Fishlock once again scored for Cymru, but Denmark took the points with a 2-1 victory.

        88. Player arrivals

          The Cymru squad have arrived on camp ahead of the Nations League double-header against Denmark and Sweden.

          This will be the first meeting between Cymru and Denmark in this campaign, while Rhian Wilkinson’s side claimed their first point in the last match with a 1-1 draw against Group A4 leaders Sweden in Wrexham.

          The match against Denmark takes place at the Cardiff City Stadium on Friday 4 April and tickets can be purchased here.

        92. Paper round

          The return of midfielder Rachel Rowe to the Cymru squad has made headlines this week.

          “There’s an intensity about her that is uniquely her own,” said Cymru head coach Rhian Wilkinson. “She’s a senior international and someone who’s given everything to her country. It’s great to have her back with this squad.”

        93. Wilkinson praise for Fishlock’s latest milestone

          Cymru head coach Rhian Wilkinson highlighted the latest achievement of midfielder Jess Fishlock following her goal for Seattle Reign in her 200th NWSL match.

          “I was watching that game, and it wasn’t just any goal, it was incredible one!” said Wilkinson as she announced her squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures against Denmark and Sweden.

          “The NWSL is a very different type of league to what we have here. It’s a transitional and athletic league, and it’s challenging. As you get older, it can be more challenging physically with what you’re trying to put out every day.

          “With Jess, so many things make her special, but she will never use her age as a reason to not do something. She has always done what’s best for her body. She’s the first to go out and get her own medical support, her recovery is of paramount importance, and you see that now.”

          Now 38, Fishlock is the record Cymru appearance holder and goalscorer with 46 goals from 160 senior caps for her country, and her experience will be crucial as the side prepare for the EURO finals in Switzerland this summer.

          “Jess Fishlock will only ever add to your team,” Wilkinson added. “Having her in my squad is the gift any coach would want. The team lost Sophie and had an injury to Jess in the same camp. We had to work through that, but Jess is the fulcrum and focus of this team.

          “Jess is incredibly important to this team, and when we can use her, we will. But equally, if we can’t, it’s important the team doesn’t dip. It’s important to show we can do it without her even if we don’t want to.”

          Tickets for the match against Denmark at the Cardiff City Stadium are priced at £10 for adults and £5 for children, with discounts available for Red Wall members, and can be purchased online here.

        95. Squad announcement

          Cymru head coach Rhian Wilkinson has announced her squad for the UEFA Women’s Nations League double-header against Denmark and Sweden.

          Wilkinson has named a strong squad with a wealth of experience as the side look to build on the 1-1 draw against Sweden at Wrexham in their last match.

          Rachel Rowe returns to the squad after injury together with Tianna Teisar and Poppy Soper, while Mared Griffiths and Scarlett Hill will represent the Cymru WU19 team in their upcoming UEFA qualifiers.

          Cymru have just two home games left before they head to Switzerland to compete at the EURO finals this summer, so don’t miss your chance to support the side ahead of their first major tournament.

          Tickets for the match against Denmark at the Cardiff City Stadium are priced at £10 for adults and £5 for children, with discounts available for Red Wall members, and can be purchased online here.

        96. There is no live report available for this match

        Lineups

        Starting

          Substitutes

            Starting

              Substitutes

                Table

                P
                Gd
                Pts

                Match Info

                Stadium

                Date & Time

                Referee

                Fourth Official

                Assistant Referees

                Learn more from FA Wales

                Sign up to receive all things FAW, from team news, tickets, domestic, grassroots, to exclusive offers and prize draws.

                We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal data – view our privacy policy by clicking here.