RIYADH, 14 February — A powerful header by Schalke striker Ebbe Sand gave Denmark a 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia in a World Cup warm-up friendly yesterday.
Sand found the net from seven meters in the 16th minute as he connected with a delicate curling cross from Manchester City defender Niclas Jensen, who set up the goal after a charge up the left flank.
Saudi Arabia, the newly-crowned Gulf Cup champions, and, like Denmark, heading for the World Cup finals in the summer, came close to equalizing in the 34th minute when a thundering shot from 25 meters hit the crossbar.
Denmark had a good chance to go up 2-0 in second half, during which the hosts brought on eight substitutes against five changes for Denmark, but the Danes were denied by a brilliant save from the Saudi goalkeeper on a Jon Dahl Tomasson header in the 55th minute.
“It was not an excellent match but apart from one or two situations we were able to keep them away from our goal,” Denmark coach Morten Olsen said.
Some 50 cheering Danes were a bright red-and-white clique in the less than half-full stadium.
Many Saudi supporters booed their team’s lackluster performance.
Saudi Arabia will play Germany, Ireland and Cameroon in the World Cup group phase this summer. Denmark are drawn with World champions France, Uruguay and Senegal.
