Good afternoon and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of Denmark's Euro 2012 Group B encounter against Portugal in Lviv.
Well, the Danes certainly caused a shock on Saturday afternoon when they defeated a much-fancied Holland side 1-0. A victory here will see the 1992 champions all but book their place in the quarter-finals of the competition.
In stark contrast Portugal head into the fixture knowing that a loss will end their chances of making it beyond the group stages. Having lost 1-0 to Germany last time out, only a win will do for Paulo Bento's troops.
All of that should make for a interesting match, we hope!
18.54Well Portugal got there eventually! They probably just about deserved it against a Danish side who were extremely negative in the first half. Both sides still have a chance to qualify, which should make for an interesting Sunday when this group concludes. Thanks for joining me and be sure to hang around for a match analysis and our live commentary of Holland's must-win encounter against Germany.
18.52FULL TIME: Denmark 2-3 Portugal
90+3 minAnd there was the chance for Denmark. Eriksen finds sub Schone, who scuffs the ball way off target from ten yards out. That, should be that.
90+2 minTo sum up Ronaldo's night he receives a booking for a late challenge on Kvist.
90+1 minWe have four minutes of stoppage time, one of which has already been played.
90 minDenmark make a substitution. Striker Lasse Schone comes on for Krohn-Dehli. Can he be a hero like Valera?
89 min...which yet again comes to nothing. Corner practice is needed for Eriksen!
88 minDenmark have a corner...
87 minWhat an impact from the substitute. Valera swings first time and misses the ball. However, the ball drops kindly for him and he drives the ball into net from 18 yards out. Unstoppable. But is it the winner?
87 minGOAL! Denmark 2-3 Portugal (Varela)
86 min...which Ronaldo swings at and misses! Has he had a worse 86 minutes?
84 minSubstitution for Portugal as Varela replaces Raul Meireles. They also have a corner...
81 min...which is drilled straight at Andersen. Awkward save, but he made it.
81 minWell he may soon tell us! He's standing over a free-kick 25 yards from goal...
80 minAnd that is how you do it Mr Ronaldo! Yet another headed goal in this tournament as Bendtner rises highest at the back post to head in. Brilliant header by the striker. How you feeling Cristiano?!
79 minGOAL! Denmark 2-2 Portugal (Bendtner)
78 minOh. My. Word! I've seen it all now. Ronaldo has a chance that you or I would have buried. He could have rounded the goalkeeper, sat and had a cup of tea then roll it in - he had so much time! Yet, with Andersen approaching, he drags the ball well wide. Golden chance.
77 min...It's a better delivery this time but Patricio punches clear.
76 minHere's their first chance coming up as Nani is penalised for handball wide on the left. Free-kick from Eriksen to come...
75 min15 minutes for the Danish to find an equalising goal. Can they do it? Or will they make a right pig's ear of it?! Get it? Pig's - bacon - Danish! I'll get my coat.
72 minMeanwhile, Bendtner almost doubles his and Denmark's tally. The Arsenal man controls the ball on the edge of the area before dragging his left footed effort wide of the target. Could, and perhaps should, have done better there.
71 minFirst shot from Oliveira, which is easily saved by Andersen from 25 yards out. The Benfica man does look lively though.
70 minWatch him bang in a couple of goals now!
69 minHave to say Ronaldo's attitude in Portugal shirt leaves a bit to be desired. He looks a total different player to the one that dominated La Liga last season. Granted he is playing with weaker players here, but you'd expect him to stand up and be counted for his country.
66 min...but yet again it comes to nothing. The delivery of Eriksen in particular has been poor today. Expected better from the Ajax man.
65 minCorner for the Danes, who have stepped things up so my rollocking a couple of minutes ago...
64 minChange for Portugal. Goalscorer Postiga is being replaced by 20-year-old Nelson Oliveira. There are high hopes for the oncoming striker.
62 minTypical! Just as I say that, Denmark have a shot - and what a shot! Kvist has a dig from distance which flies just wide of the post.
61 minWe've just passed the hour mark and to my knowledge Denmark are yet to have a shot. They need inject some urgency into their attacking play or there is only one winner here.
60 minAs predicted, Rommedahl comes off to be replaced by Tobias Mikkelsen. Could be Rommedahl's last major tournament appearance.
59 minDoesn't look good for Rommedahl, who is down and clutching his hamstring. Won't just end his game that one, it looks like his tournament could be over as well.
58 min...But Nani glances clear and the danger is gone. Poor delivery.
57 minCorner to Denmark, who have just had a rare venture forward this half...
56 minNani is coming more and more into this game now. The winger is brought down wide on the right by Poulsen, who is booked for his troubles. If Portugal are to add more goals, you feel Nani will be involved.
53 minSome neat trickery from Nani on the right wing takes him away from Poulsen. However, his cross is poor and Andersen collects. Portugal are now dominating here though.
52 minRio Ferdinand on Twitter (well he has nothing better to do this summer does he?!): "Portugal will win this....come on @Cristiano + @luisnani bang a goal in each get me jumping!"
50 minAnd Mr Ronaldo, not only did you fail to put your country 3-1 up, you also cost me some fantasy football points! Thanks!
49 minWhat is Ronaldo doing?! He goes through one-on-one with Andersen but his shot is tame and the goalkeeper parries to safety. You feel he would have scored that for Madrid.
48 minNothing to report so far disappointingly. Denmark have had more of the ball but they have done little with it.
45 minBack to the football and Portugal get the second half underway.
18.03The term "stiff, stodgy defenders" has made me chuckle, I must confess! Nice phrase Pleaty!
18.03David Pleat talking to BBC Sport: "We've got some stiff, stodgy defenders on show, which is making for a good game with all these sharp attackers. It should be a very interesting second half here in what is an exciting game."
18.01So, what we all thinking for the second half? The smart money says Portugal, obviously. It's hard to argue with that in all honesty unless Denmark change something offensively. Either way we will soon find out, the players are on their way.
17.49And there is the whistle. For half that started so slowly, it has not actually been a bad game this one! Portugal deserve their slender advantage. The Danes will need to increase their attacking options if they are nab anything from this one. Interesting 45 minutes ahead. Back shortly.
17.47Denmark 1-2 Portugal
45 minBy the way, Bendtner's goal adds another headed one to the tournament tally!
45 minBy the way, Bendtner's goal adds another headed one to the tournament tally!
43 minPortugal almost extend their lead. Nani's cross is glanced goalwards by Postiga, but Andersen saves. The rebound looks to be dropping to Ronaldo until Kjaer intervenes. Living dangerously.
42 minIncidentally, that is Bendtner's fifth goal against Portugal in as many games. "Can we play you every week?" springs to mind.
41 minWhere an earth did that come from?! Krohn-Dehli heads the ball across for an unmarked Bendtner, who nods the ball into an empty net. I'm lost for words, which isn't handy in this job!
40 minGOAL! Denmark 1-2 Portugal (Bendtner)
39 minGoing back to that goal. It will be a sweat moment for Postiga, who has come under a lot of criticism in recent days. Nice finish as well. Tottenham fans will be wondering if it is the same player that graced White Hart Lane for a year!
37 minQuick reply from Denmark and midfielder Eriksen, whose low drive is held by Patricio in the Portugal goal.
36 minBlimey! Postiga can score goals! The former Tottenham Hotspur man nips in front of Kjaer to send Nani's low cross into the roof of the net from eight yards out. Could be game over unless the Danes change their approach.
35 minGOAL! Denmark 0-2 Portugal (Postiga)
34 min...I thought that was going in! But rest easy Denmark fans, it didn't! The ball flicks off the wall and settles on the roof of the net. Close!
33 minRonaldo wins another free-kick on the edge of the box following a push in the back by Jacobson. No prizes for guessing who will take this...
31 minRonaldo goes through the gears as he bursts past two players before slipping in Postiga. However, the ball is slightly overhit and Andersen collects. Perhaps he should have gone alone there.
29 minAs Denmark broke from that Portugal corner, Raul Meireles is booked for stopping the move with his hand. Pretty cynical that to be honest.
28 minNope!
28 minMeanwhile, Helder Postiga wins a corner for Portugal. Another headed goal coming up maybe...
27 minPepe's goal has also got me thinking, how many headed goals have there been in this tournament? Seems a lot.
26 minHow will the Danes react? They seem the sort of side that are comfortable when the game is level or they are in front - sound familiar England fans?!
25 minJust what the doctor ordered for Portugal! Cracking header from Pepe, who rises highest at the near post to squeeze the ball into the net from corner. Portugal are alive and kicking again.
24 minGOAL! Denmark 0-1 Portgual (Pepe)
22 minJust going to take you away from this match for one second to let you know that Chelsea have appointed Roberto Di Matteo as their new boss. What took them so long is beyond me. Anyway, the story is developing here.
21 min...Which he does. What's the phrase? That's it: High, wide and not very handsome! Would have been two points had been playing rugby. Or a six in cricket. You get the picture!
20 minFree-kick to Portugal on the edge of the box as Kjaer brings down Ronaldo with a shoulder barge. Get the impression Ronnie will strike this...
19 minAnd with that, shock-horror, he's back up!
19 minAnd now Pepe is down for the Portuguese. Always find it hard to know how genuine his injuries are considering that he rolls around on the turf at least five times a game!
18 minFirst sight of goal for Ronaldo, who lashes wide from 20 yards out. He looks down at the pitch accusingly but I have to say it looked a poor effort to me.
16 minAnd that's it for Zimling, he's coming off. He must be injured because he is not the sort to shy away from the action. Jakob Poulsen takes his place.
15 minDenmark have injury worry over midfielder Niki Zimling, who is down on the turf following a hefty challenge.
12 min...Which is punched cleared by Denmark goalkeeper Stephan Andersen.
12 minDangerous cross from Nani is cleared for corner by Jacobson...
10 minHave to say I agree with that, although Portugal are enjoying more possession at the moment.
9 minMore from Mr Molby on BBC Sport: "Denmark have started the game well. The players are showing great energy and they all want to be on the ball."
8 min...Which is eventually cleared by the head of Ronaldo. Portugal will want to see him in the other box at some stage.
7 minDennis Rommedahl wins another corner for the Danes...
6 minOne thing Portugal do have his attacking full-backs. Here, Fabio Coentrao raids down the left, but his route is blocked by Simon Kjaer and a goal kick is awarded.
4 min...The ball drops to Christian Eriksen, whose shot is blocked by Pepe. Another corner for the Danes, which comes to nothing. Positive from Denmark though.
4 minThat man Krohn-Dehli wins a corner for Denmark, which he will take...
3 minThe first shrug of the shoulders from Ronaldo. Pepe overhits a pass for his Real teammate, which Ronnie is not best pleased with.
2 minPortugal, by the way, are playing in their changed strip of all white. That took me longer than it should have to have adapted to!
1 minGame on. The Danes get us underway in Lviv.
16.57That's that done. It's almost game time. Don't go anywhere.
16.56Over to you Denmark...
16.56Also, captain Ronaldo was not singing. Not sure I've ever seen that from an international team captain. Perhaps he's too cool!
16.55...With Manchester United's Nani in fine voice there!! That camera is awfully close to the Portuguese squad.
16.54Portugal go first...
16.54The players are on their way out. Stand by for the anthems.
16.52A slight correction to my earlier post. Our twitter account is actually @sports_mole - my bad!
16.51Let's hope that Bento's squad do not have BBC Radio Five Live blaring out in their changing room hey Jan?!
16.50Back to today's match and former Denmark international Jan Molby appears to have written of Portugal's chances of winning the competition. He told BBC Sport: "Forget the Portugal of 10 or 12 years ago, when they'd come to these tournaments as contenders. They're not anymore. They have some good players, but they have some very average players. But I thought they played well against Germany and that, for a Denmark fan, is a worry."
16.49As usual, you can thank/abuse/mock me for those tips later! Alternatively you can tell me exactly what you think on Twitter on either @liamapicella or @sportsmole - be gentle though!
16.48And an outsider I hear you cry? Well I'm going for Denmark to being winning at half-time, but Portugal to win the match at 22/1.
16.46For those of a Portuguese persuasion, how about Joao Moutinho to score at anytime, which is priced at 9/1? The midfielder does strike a ball well from distance.
16.45While I've been full of praise for Krohn-Dehli, why not back him to score first at 14/1? He gets forward really well and has already shown that he has an eye for goal.
16.44Tip time! Bet you thought I had forget didn't you?!
16.43Having said that, I've stuck in my dream team this afternoon, which means he is bound to have stinker!
16.42One player that did catch the eye for Denmark was Michael Krohn-Dehli, who I shamefully knew little about heading into the tournament. Not only did he score the only goal of the game, but he possess quick feet and seemed to have an eye for a pass. The Portuguese defence will have to be alert to him.
16.39Will it will if the Danes have anything to do about it. I covered their match for Sports Mole against Holland on Saturday and they were impressive, particularly defensively.
16.38Of course, Ronnie could be heading home shortly after this match anyway! Defeat for Portugal will all but eliminate them from the competition with just two matches. That won't happen though, will it?
16.37It's good to see that the Portugal lineup includes a certain Cristiano Ronaldo. Rumours have been rife over the previous two days that the Real Madrid man had downed tools and left the Portuguese squad. Thankfully, that doesn't appear to be the case! #vivaronaldo
16.35Without further ado, let's give you the team news. In fact, there is no news! Both teams are unchanged from their opening matches. Nevertheless, you can see the lineups here.
16.32Afternoon all! Here we go again then, another day, another match. This time we will see Denmark take on Portugal. Whose your money on?
Written by
Liam Apicella
Liam Apicella
