PODGORICA – Denmark kept alive their hopes of clinching either automatic qualification for next year’s World Cup or a playoff berth after a superb goal by midfielder Christian Eriksen gave them a 1-0 Group E win at Montenegro yesterday.
The result left the Danes second on 19 points from nine games, three behind leaders Poland and three ahead of third-placed Montenegro, who now have only a slim chance of finishing as the group’s runners-up.
Denmark are at home to Romania in their final game on Sunday while Poland, who thrashed Armenia 6-1 away earlier on Thursday, are at home to Montenegro knowing that they will go through with a draw.
Montenegro made the brighter start in the cauldron of their Podgorica stadium as they pressed forward in numbers but were stung by a moment of individual brilliance by Eriksen.
The Tottenham Hotspur playmaker gave goalkeeper Danijel Petkovic no chance with a rasping shot from 20 metres with his weaker left foot in the 15th minute, after Henrik Dalsgaard headed a long ball into his path.
The home side suffered another blow five minutes later after their captain and top scorer Stevan Jovetic limped off with a thigh injury, leaving Montenegro’s three-pronged attack with no cutting edge.
Denmark winger Pione Sisto tormented his markers throughout and forced a good save from Petkovic with a ferocious drive in the 65th minute as Montenegro struggled to make any impact at the other end.
