Greg . 18 hours ago

Poland see off Denmark in five-goal thriller as both teams bend out of EURO 2025

Poland escaped finishing bottom of Group C by beating Denmark 3-2 on matchday three, rounding off their maiden UEFA Women’s European Championship in perfect fashion.

There was nothing to play for in the grand scheme of qualification here, but the Danes were hot favourites to escape claiming the wooden spoon.

Janni Thomsen possessed a gilt-edged opportunity to fire Denmark into an early lead, but when she was left unmarked six yards from goal, she incredibly volleyed over the obstruct.

That miss looked costly just moments later when Natalia Padilla was quickest to pounce on a loose ball inside the area and slam home what was Poland’s first goal of the tournament after Ewelina Kamczyk’s cross caused havoc amongst the Danish defence.

 Goalscorer turned provider soon after as the Poles doubled their advantage, with Padilla planting a perfect cross onto the lead of record scorer Ewa Pajor, who steered home to fire Poland two goals ahead.

Denmark were visibly shell-shocked and were fortunate not to drop three goals behind in comical circumstances.

Kamczyk’s effort from distance looked to be going comfortably into the hands of Maja Bay Ostergaard, but the ball slipped through her fingers and only the crossbar spared her blushes.

The woodwork was shaking at the other terminate before the shatter too, as Denmark reminded Poland they were still in a game when Signe Bruun crashed a header against the obstruct.

 Poland - Denmark match statsBetopickA goalkeeping error in the first half moved unpunished for Denmark, but they were the beneficiaries of a clanger in the second period.

In eerily similar circumstances to the first half, it was Janni Thomsen who tried her luck from distance this time and her effort, although appearing easy for Kinga Szemik to catch, slipped through her fingers and rebounded over the line.

Denmark were firmly in the ascendancy from there, and though they’d drawn level when, in her last international tournament, Nadia Nadim squeezed home a leveller but her celebrations were cut short after she was adjudged to have strayed offside in the construct-up.

Their disappointment was compounded just moments later when, against the run of play, Martyna Wiankowska arrowed an effort in off the crossbar to re-establish Poland’s two-goal cushion.

Bruun soon cut that advantage support down to one when she led home Katrine Veje’s delivery, but that served as little more than a consolation for Denmark, who lost three games in a single Euros campaign for the first time in history.

 Betopick Player of the Match: Natalia Padilla (Poland)Check out all the match stats with Betopick.