Denmark v Portugal

Denmark 2

Bendtner 41′, 80′

Portugal 3

Pepe 24′ Postiga 36′ Varela 87′

FT 90 +5
HT 1-2

Varela and Moutinho celebrate beating Denmark

Euro 2012: Highlights - Denmark 2-3 Portugal

By Jonathan Jurejko BBC Sport

Substitute Silvestre Varela's late strike boosted Portugal's hopes of reaching the Euro 2012 quarter-finals.

Pepe's thumping near-post header put Portugal ahead, before Helder Postiga smashed in a close-range effort.

But two headed goals from striker Nicklas Bendtner brought the Danes level and looked set to leave Paulo Bento's men with an uphill task to advance from Group B.

Analysis

Jan Molby BBC Radio 5 live

"It was another great game. That is the match of the tournament so far, which went from one end to the other. Both sides decided to be aggressive, to go for it and try to score goals. This was a great game, and a fantastic advert for football."

Then with three minutes left, Varela's right-foot shot won it for Portugal.

Portugal, coming into the game on the back of defeat by Germany, needed at least a draw to stand any chance of extending their record of reaching the knockout stage in their last five European Championships.

In contrast, Denmark headed into the Lviv clash brimming with confidence following their opening 1-0 win against the highly fancied Dutch. And they held another psychological advantage over their opponents having finished above them in qualifying groups for both the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012.

Portuguese boss Bento was heavily criticised by his country's press for his side's defensive tactics against Germany - indeed his side had failed to score in three of their previous six games heading into this match - and adopted a more adventurous approach against the Danes.

Cristiano Ronaldo, looking to add to his 59-goal season for Real Madrid, was often the focal point of Portugal's attack but it was an off-day for the 27-year-old, who missed several chances in front of goal, most notably a glorious one-on-one chance seconds before Bendtner's leveller.

It was his Bernabeu team-mate Pepe who broke the deadlock when the dithering Danish defence allowed the defender to amble to the front post and meet Joao Moutinho's left-wing corner.

With Ronaldo struggling to find top gear, Portugal relied on his ex-Manchester United colleague Nani to open up the Danish defence in the first half.

And Nani was the architect as former Tottenham striker Postiga became just the sixth player to score in three European Championship finals.

Denmark failed to close down Portuguese attacks on either flank before Nani picked out Postiga at the near post with a precise square pass.

Victory for Morten Olsen's men would have put them on the brink of a quarter-final place following their surprise win over the misfiring Dutch.

Silvestre Varela fires Portugal's into the lead

Varela fires Portugal winner

And the Scandinavians were given a lifeline shortly before the break when Portugal's defence switched off to allow Michael Krohn-Dehli to nod Lars Jacobsen's deep cross back across goal for Bendtner to score the easiest of close-range headers.

It meant the Arsenal striker marked a landmark 50th cap in style and has now scored in each of his five appearances against the Portuguese.

Bendtner looked the most likely of the Danish players to find an equaliser in the second half and duly obliged when he met Jacobsen's right-wing cross at the far post.

But there was to be a further twist as Varela smashed in a right-footed shot from inside the Denmark area to spare Ronaldo's blushes.

Lineup, Bookings (4) & Substitutions (5)

Denmark

01 Andersen
03 Kjaer
04 Agger
05 S Poulsen
06 Jacobsen Booked
07 Kvist
08 Eriksen
21 Zimling (J Poulsen - 17' Booked )
09 Krohn-Delhi (Schone - 90' )
10 Rommedahl
11 Bendtner

Substitutes

16 Lindegaard
22 Schmeichel
12 Bjelland
18 Wass
02 C Poulsen
13 Okore
14 Schone
15 Silberbauer
19 J Poulsen
20 Kahlenberg
17 Pedersen
23 Mikkelsen

Portugal

12 Rui Patricio
02 Alves
03 Pepe
05 Coentrao
21 Joao Pereira
04 Veloso
08 Joao Moutinho
16 Meireles Booked (Varela - 84' )
17 Nani (Rolando - 89' )
07 Ronaldo Booked
23 Postiga (Oliveira - 64' )

Substitutes

01 Eduardo
22 Beto
13 Costa
14 Rolando
19 Miguel Lopes
06 Custodio
15 Ruben Micael
20 Viana
09 Almeida
10 Quaresma
11 Oliveira
18 Varela

Ref: Craig Thomson

Att: 34,915

Match Stats

Possession 58 42

Shots

9 17

On target

6 12

Corners

7 6

Fouls

18 9

Live Text Commentary

23:55

Assist on the goal came from Felipe Joao Moutinho.

23:55 Goal scored

Goal - Kleper Pepe - Denmark 0 - 1 Portugal Kleper Pepe finds the net with a headed goal from inside the six-yard box. Denmark 0-1 Portugal.

22:46

Foul by Daniel Agger on Helder Postiga, free kick awarded. Free kick crossed left-footed by Miguel Veloso from left channel, clearance made by Simon Kjaer. Corner taken by Felipe Joao Moutinho from the left by-line,

90:00 +4:20 Full time

Full Time The match has reached full-time.

90:00 +3:50

Lars Jacobsen gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Miguel Nelson Oliveira.

90:00 +3:07

Lasse Schone has an effort at goal from deep inside the area missing to the right of the goal.

90:00 +1:25

William Kvist Jorgensen takes the free kick. Daniel Agger challenges Kleper Pepe unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Pedro Rui Patricio.

90:00 +1:25 Booking

Booking The referee books Cristiano Ronaldo for unsporting behaviour.

90:00 +1:18

Cristiano Ronaldo challenges William Kvist Jorgensen unfairly and gives away a free kick.

90:00 +0:59

The ball is crossed by Simon Poulsen, Eduardo Bruno Alves makes a clearance.

89:40

Stephan Andersen restarts play with the free kick.

89:40 Substitution

Substitution Lasse Schone is brought on as a substitute for Michael Krohn-Delhi.

89:40

Unfair challenge on Michael Krohn-Delhi by Silvestre Varela results in a free kick.

88:38

Michael Krohn-Delhi takes a inswinging corner.

88:15 Substitution

Substitution Jorge Rolando comes on in place of Luis Nani.

86:39

The assist for the goal came from Alexandre Fabio Coentrao.

86:39 Goal scored

Goal - Silvestre Varela - Denmark 2 - 3 Portugal Silvestre Varela finds the net with a goal from inside the penalty box to the bottom right corner of the goal. Denmark 2-3 Portugal.