Portugal downs Denmark in thriller

LVIV: Portugal’s Silvestre Varela scored a dramatic 87th-winner to give his side a 3-2 win over Denmark in a pulsating Euro 2012 Group B match yesterday.
Portugal looked to have thrown a two-goal lead away when Danish striker Nicklas Bendtner scored the second of two close-range headers to equalize in the 80th minute.
But Varela gave the Portuguese the win they badly needed when he smashed home from close range.
Portugal had taken a 2-0 lead in the first half after good work by Nani. Defender Pepe lost his marker from a corner and powered a header past keeper Stephan Andersen in the 24th minute.
They doubled their lead in the 36th minute when striker Helder Postiga got in front of defender Simon Kjaer far too easily to turn home a Nani pass from close range.
It was a bad moment for Kjaer, who had boasted Denmark would be able to contain winger Cristiano Ronaldo, and he had to make a desperate clearance in the 44th minute to stop Nani setting up another goal.
Bendtner scored his first in the 41st minute, nodding home after Michael Krohn-Dehli sent a looping header over keeper Rui Patricio. The goals were his fourth and fifth in four competitive games against Portugal.
The result means Denmark and Portugal both have three points with one game left. Leaders Germany and the Netherlands play later on Wednesday.
Ronaldo had another poor game and missed two good chances, shooting straight at Andersen in the 50th minute and screwing a shot wide in the 78th when it looked easier to score. Denmark have a good recent record against Portugal but looked largely toothless and it was little surprise when Portugal, who had lost three consecutive European Championship games, took the lead.
Pepe was their best player in the 1-0 defeat by Germany last Saturday and looked good again.
The Danes, who had defended brilliantly in their opening 1-0 win over the Dutch, were not helped by the loss of midfielder Niki Zimling and winger Dennis Rommedahl to injury.
Russia faces UEFA punishment in case
of more trouble
Meantime, Russia will be docked six points in qualifying for the next European Championship if their fans step out of line again after disturbances at their opening Euro 2012 game against the Czech Republic last Friday, UEFA said yesterday.
The charges against Russia’s fans included setting off and throwing fireworks and the display of illicit banners at the match in Wroclaw which Dick Advocaat’s team won 4-1.
Russian and Polish fans were also involved in the worst violence of the tournament around the second group game in Warsaw on Tuesday.
Police, who feared trouble at the Euro 2012 game due to uneasy relations between the two countries, detained 184 people, 156 of them Poles, 25 Russians, and three other foreign fans.
Russia, who drew 1-1 with Poland, top Group A on four points with the Czech Republic second on three.
UEFA opened another disciplinary case against the Russian FA yesterday following incidents inside the stadium in Tuesday’s game with the Poles, but said it would not have any impact on the suspended sanction related to the Wroclaw match.
Russia again face a hearing for setting off and throwing fireworks, displaying illicit banners and the invasion of the pitch by a supporter, while the Polish Football Association will answer a charge of setting off fireworks.
“Last night’s incidents do not have any impact on the probation period for the sanction imposed on the RFS following the incidents at their first match against the Czech Republic in Wroclaw. This means the six-point deduction is still currently suspended,” UEFA said.
UEFA’s Control and Disciplinary Body will deal with both cases on Sunday.