Uruguay vs Denmark - 2002 World Cup Group Match

Home: World Cup 2002: Korea-Japan Finals: 1st Round: Match Report

Saturday June 1st, 2002

Jon Dahl Double Sinks Uruguay

Within the first two minutes of this Uruguay vs Denmark World Cup match both teams created attacking opportunities. The game was off to a good start.

For Uruguay, it was Dario Silva and Alvaro Recoba who were causing the Danes most of the early problems, although both teams looked as though they could trouble France; if the French don't sharpen up after their dismal opening day performance.

Stig Tofting and Thomas Gravesen marshaled the Danish midfield well, although Tofting was lucky to get away without a card after screaming in the referee's face..... the referees seem to be fairly relaxed in the World Cup games we've seen so far.

There was plenty of action in the first half and Denmark were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty three minutes before the break, after Mendez (already on a yellow card) tugged down Jon Dahl Tomasson in the area.

0:1
To make up for the injustice, Jon Dahl Tomasson put Denmark ahead a couple of minutes later. The Feyenoord player latched onto a low cross from the left with a first time sidefoot from the edge of the six-yard box - 45 mins.

With no time left for Uruguay to reply.....

Half-time: Uruguay 0 - Denmark 1

The goal just before half-time didn't take the wind of Uruguay's sails.

1:1
Uruguay drew level with a wicked left foot strike on the volley from Dario Rodriguez... a dream goal - 47 mins.

The game was all to play for......

Alvaro Recoba showed wonderful skill again but couldn't manage to get through two Danish defenders.

The Danes continued to push for another goal, even though the climate was obviously taking more out of the Scandinavians than the South Americans. And it paid off, once Uruguay's Recoba was substituted.

1:2
Tomasson gets his second goal of the game and becomes the tournament's leading scorer..... heading in a cross from substitute Martin Jorgensen - 83 mins.

A combination of substitutions were made in the later stages, as Denmark tried to hold on to their lead and Uruguay struggled for an equaliser.

Final Score:
Uruguay 1 - Denmark 2

Man of the Match:
Jon Dahl Tomasson - His two goals took Denmark to the top of Group A..... France's group, no less.

Yellow Cards:
Gustavo Mendez (25 mins)
Jan Heintze (34 mins)
Martin Laursen (51 mins)

The Teams

Uruguay:
1 Fabian Carini, 2 Gustavo Mendez, 14 Gonzalo Sorondo, 4 Paolo Montero, 6 Dario Rodriguez (11 Gerardo Magallanes - 86 mins); 8 Gustavo Varela, 5 Pablo Garcia, 7 Gianni Guigou; 20 Alvaro Recoba (17 Mario Regueiro - 80 mins), 13 Sebastian Abreu (18 Richard Morales - 87 mins), 9 Dario Silva.

Denmark:
1 Thomas Sorensen, 6 Thomas Helveg, 4 Martin Laursen, 3 Rene Henriksen, 5 Jan Heintze (12 Niclas Jensen - 58 mins); 19 Dennis Rommedahl, 2 Stig Tofting, 7 Thomas Gravesen, 8 Jesper Gronkjaer (10 Martin Jorgensen - 70 mins); 9 Jon Dahl Tomasson, 11 Ebbe Sand (17 Christian Poulsen - 88 mins).

Referee: Saad Mane