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Nordic neighbours resume rivalry
Peter Bruun & Jan Juhlin from Copenhagen & Gothenburg
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Demark - in swapped Swedish shirts - celebrate
after the dramatic 2-2 draw at UEFA EURO 2004T (¿AFP)
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When Denmark welcome Sweden to Copenhagen on Saturday,
UEFA EURO 2008T points will be only one part of the equation in what is
the countries' first ever qualifying fixture.
Long history
Not that this pair will need much introduction. This will be their 98th
official encounter and up until the 1980s their annual fixture was the
highlight of both countries' footballing calendars. When it was Denmark's
turn to be at home there were regularly capacity crowds of 51,000 at the
Kobenhavns Idr?tspark, the predecessor of the modern Parken Stadium which
stages Saturday's game. In the days when the team was largely amateur,
Denmark relished the chance to put one over their Swedish counterparts
as they did in 1958 with a 4-4 draw in Stockholm against opponents fresh
from reaching the FIFA World Cup final.
Danish growth
However, things changed when the Danes introduced professional football
and allowed their foreign-based stars into the national team, from which
they were previously excluded. A 6-0 triumph in a match to mark the 100th
anniversary of the Danish Football Association in 1989 was their biggest
against their rivals in 76 years and it was in Sweden that Denmark surprised
the continent by winning EURO '92, despite a 1-0 loss to the hosts in
the group stage.
Exodus
Denmark is now a destination of choice for Swedish footballers abandoning
Allsvenskan clubs for the more lucrative Superligaen. Martin Ericsson,
once of IFK Goteborg but now a stalwart in Danish league football, explained
as much recently after joining FC Kobenhavn, already home to an impressive
Swedish contingent including Marcus Allback and Tobias Linderoth. "I
was offered a much better contract at Kobenhavn than any side in Sweden
could match," he said.
Bragging rights
This exodus across the Oresund Bridge that now links Sweden and Denmark
adds spice to the rivaly. Allback said: "There'll be a lot of talk
ahead of the game, but it's like it always is. On the pitch you are on
opposing sides and everyone will do their utmost to win, if not the least
to get the bragging rights in the dressing room."
Bonde challenge
A lot more is at stake, however. A defeat for Denmark would leave them
with a huge struggle to avoid missing out on the EURO finals for the first
time since 1980. It is this factor as much as the local rivalry that ensures
a sold-out Parken Stadium. Denmark assistant coach, Peter Bonde, who will
take charge in place of the suspended Morten Olsen on Saturday, said:
"I am really looking forward to the task, not least because it is
Sweden who are our opponents!"
UEFA.com,
1 June 2007.
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