Northern Ireland suffered a friendly defeat in Copenhagen as Christian Eriksen got the winner in a 2-1 comeback victory for Denmark.
An early own goal from former Tottenham midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg put Michael O’Neill’s side on top but Gustav Isaksen levelled in first-half stoppage time before Eriksen swept home the winner in the 67th minute.
It was a second successive friendly defeat for Michael O’Neill’s side, after March’s 5-1 thrashing in Sweden, but was a much better defensive performance away to top-level opposition in their penultimate match before the World Cup qualifying campaign starts in Luxembourg in September.
O’Neill made seven changes from that heavy loss in Stockholm, with Conor Bradley, Trai Hume and Daniel Ballard among those returning while Conor Hazard started in goal. The starting eleven had an average age of just 23.4.
The Parken Stadium produced its usual rowdy atmosphere before kick-off but was silenced six minutes in.
Good Northern Ireland pressure in the corner forced Denmark’s 18-year-old debutant Lucas Hogsberg into a poor ball out of defence and the bright Justin Devenny quickly intercepted.
The Crystal Palace man, starting at left wing-back, cut into the box and his cross deflected off Joachim Andersen before Hojbjerg, under pressure from Shea Charles, turned the ball into his own net.
Isaksen looked like Denmark’s best outlet early on as the Lazio winger showed good trickery to break into the box more than once, but he was guilty of a dive while in a foot race with Northern Ireland skipper Hume, not fooling Cypriot referee Menelaos Antoniou.
Denmark, who are in Scotland’s World Cup qualifying group, unsurprisingly bossed possession but frustrations grew as Northern Ireland defended well, with Ballard heading away a succession of crosses.
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It took until the second minute of time added on for Denmark to register a shot on target but when they did, they scored. Isaksen, having moved into a central area, was found by Brentford’s Mikkel Damsgaard on the edge of the box and curled a shot around Hume into the bottom corner of Hazard’s net.
It was Hazard’s last involvement. The Plymouth goalkeeper, who had needed treatment after an earlier collision with Rasmus Hojlund, was replaced by Pierce Charles at the break.
Pegged back, Northern Ireland struggled to get forward again. Bradley was having a quiet night and Dion Charles, surely low on confidence after a goalless start to life at Huddersfield, was unable to hold the ball up.
Denmark were applying the pressure and Pierce Charles had to get down smartly to keep out Christian Norgaard’s header. Then, from a corner, Ballard headed Andersen’s header off the line before Hume made another goal-line block to deny Hogsberg.
It was turning into a drab match but Denmark took the lead as they cut Northern Ireland open too easily. Isaksen’s low cross was deflected by both Hume and Ballard before Eriksen, who ghosted away from Shea Charles, tucked in his 45th international goal.
Mika Biereth was denied a third by an offside flag and Pierce Charles was kept busy, making an excellent double save from Mathias Kvistgaarden and Morten Hjulmand late on.
