A draw was enough but Portugal couldn’t do it with the Nordic power and are left out of the under-19 Euro – EURO Under 19

The Portuguese under-19 football team lost 2-0 today to Denmark, in Coimbra, in the third and final round of the Elite Round, and failed to qualify for the 2024 European Championship.

A draw was enough for Portugal to guarantee qualification, but the Nordic team was always stronger, physically and technically, scoring the winning goals in the second half, in the 61st and 70th minutes, by Jorgensen and Emil Hojlund, respectively.

In the first half, the national team gave the initiative to the Nordic team, who, on several occasions, came close to opening the scoring.

However, in their first foray into the opposite goal, in the 12th minute, Portugal almost scored, through João Rego, with a shot from the edge of the area.

Two minutes later, the Portuguese team had another opportunity inside the area, but Manuel Mendonça’s shot was intercepted and the shot was lost by the end line.

More pressing during the first 45 minutes, Denmark managed to create a lot of danger in the 23rd minute, through Bischoff, and, in the 34th, with a cross shot from Hojlund.

The best goal situation belonged to the Danish team, in the 40th minute, when a loss of the ball in midfield allowed Daghim to isolate himself and progress towards Diogo Fernandes’ goal, who managed to save the ball and cancel the move.

In the second half, the Danes continued to dominate the game and create dangerous plays, having opened the scoring in the 61st minute, through Jorgensen, with a well-placed shot from outside the area.

Just two minutes later, the same player shot into the side nets.

The Portuguese team still introduced the ball into the Nordic goal, in the 68th minute, by Rodrigo Ribeiro, but the move was invalidated due to an alleged offside.

In the 70th minute, Denmark extended it to 2-0, through Emil Hojlund, who only had to pull over after a late pass from Daghim.

In the final part, Portugal tried to ‘stretch’ the game and be closer to the opponent’s goal, but the best they managed was a move created by Fábio Jaló, already after 80 minutes, saved by the opponent’s goalkeeper.

Game sheet

Game at the Cidade de Coimbra Stadium.

Denmark – Portugal, 2-0.

At half-time: 0-0.

Tags:

1-0, Jorgensen, 61 minutes.

2-0, Emil Hojlund, 70.

Teams:

– Denmark: Andresen, Hogsberg, Vraa-Jensen, Nielsen, Nybo, Jorgensen, Nartey, Óscar Hojlund, Daghim (Froholdt, 76), Emil Hojlund (Harder, 76) and Bischoff (Schwartau, 86).

(Substitutes: Ditmer, Soe, Sertdemir, Harder, Froholdt, Simmelhack and Schwartau).

Coach: Morten Eskesen.

– Portugal: Diogo Fernandes, Chissumba, Miguel Monteiro, Diogo Monteiro, João Conceição (Tomás Marques, 42), Manuel Mendonça (Rafael Luís, 78), Dário Essugo, João Vasconcelos (Fábio Jaló, 78), João Rego (Gustavo Varela, 64), Vivaldo Semedo (Ivan Lima, 64) and Rodrigo Ribeiro.

(Substitutes: Francisco Silva, Tomás Marques, João Muniz, Rafael Luís, Gustavo Varela, Ivan Lima, Fábio Jaló, Luís Gomes and Ussamane Djaló).

Coach: José Lima.

Referee: David Dickinson (Scotland).

Disciplinary action: Yellow card for Rodrigo Ribeiro (31), Bischoff (33), Nartey (67), Hogsberg (72), Dário Essugo (79), Nybo (86) and Fábio Jaló (86).