With less than a month until the 2017 European Championships kick-off in Utrecht, Danish head coach Nils Nielsen has announced his squad of 23 for the tournament.
Core group
Sticking with a similar group to the one he took to the Algarve Cup who went on to finish third, Nielsen has admittedly made a few minor tweaks to a group that was always going to feel the loss of both Johanna Rasmussen and Julie Trustrup Jensen who suffered respective ACL injuries earlier in the year.
Rasumssen’s Algarve replacement, Sarah Dyrehauge keeps her spot for Holland as Lise Munk loses out to a returning Nadia Nadim, Skovbakken’s Stine Ballisager Pedersen one of the newer faces in the group and Maria Christensen is preferred as the third goalkeeper. As per the announcement, Frederikke Thøgersen has moved from midfield to attack with Linköping new girl Maja Kildemoes moving up from defence to midfield.
Talking to the DBU site about the team news Nielsen referred to the group – half of which play their domestic football outside of Denmark – as a “powerful collection [of players]”, their clubs enough to match them against “some of the best in the world.”
Already eyeing a more defensive set-up, Denmark will travel with eight defenders the coach admitting that he’s happy with their attack and how it’s worked en route to the Euros but the recent focus has been attack. Up against teams that will attack well in the group stages, Nielsen has stated it’s “crucial” to have their defence spot on, “prepare for whatever may happen” Nielsen is hopeful that “long hours” on the training pitch will bear fruit and the team has struck the right balance.
The squad
Goalkeeprs: Line Geltzer Johansen (Vejle BK), Maria Lindblad Christensen (Fortuna Hjørring), Stina Lykke Petersen (KoldingQ).
Defenders: Cecilie Sandvej (FFC Frankfurt), Janni Arnth Jensen (Linköpings FC), Line Røddik Hansen (FC Barcelona), Luna Gevitz (Fortuna Hjørring), Mie Leth Jans (Manchester City), Simone Boye Sørensen (FC Rosengård), Stine Ballisager Pedersen (IK Skovbakken), Theresa Nielsen (Vålerenga IF).
Midfielders: Katrine Veje (Montpellier HSC), Line Sigvardsen Jensen (Washington Spirit), Maja Kildemoes (Linköpings FC), Nanna Christiansen (Brøndby IF), Nicoline Sørensen (Brøndby IF), Sanne Troelsgaard (FC Rosengård), Sarah Dyrehauge Hansen (Fortuna Hjørring), Sofie Junge Pedersen (FC Rosengård).
Attackers: Frederikke Skjødt Thøgersen (Fortuna Hjørring), Nadia Nadim (Portland Thorns), Pernille Harder (VfL Wolfsburg), Stine Larsen (Brøndby IF)