Silvestre Varela's late goal spared Cristiano Ronaldo considerable embarrassment and revived Portugal's hopes of reaching the quarter-finals on a night when the world's most expensive footballer endured an evening that he will be keen to forget. Ronaldo's profligacy looked like being costly when Nicklas Bendtner headed his second of the game to bring Denmark level after they had been 2-0 down but Silvestre Varela, a second-half substitute, struck in the 87th minute to give Portugal victory.
It was a dramatic end to a compelling game that ended with Ronaldo staring at the pitch in a sense of disbelief. Twice in the second half he was put clear on goal by Nani and on both occasions he failed to convert the sort of chance that he would have scored with his eyes closed playing in a Real Madrid shirt. Denmark will feel aggrieved that they allowed a point to slip through their grasp after recovering so well, but they looked vulnerable defensively throughout.
Pepe had given Portugal the lead with an opening goal that was similar to Andriy Shevchenko's second against Sweden, the central defender darting towards the near post where he met João Moutinho's inswinging corner with a superb header that flashed inside an upright. Daniel Agger, the man who was supposed to be marking the Real Madrid player, was nowhere to be seen.
A second Portugal goal followed 12 minutes later when more suspect Danish defending was punished.
Simon Poulsen's header from Fábio Coentrão's cross lacked conviction and dropped at the feet of João Pereira, who fed Nani on the right. With Denmark slow to close him down, the winger had the time and space to look up and slide a simple ball towards the six-yard box where Helder Postiga, who had spent much of the first half receiving rollockings from Ronaldo, got in front of Simon Kjaer and rammed the ball into the roof of the net to become only the sixth player to score at three different European Championships.
Portugal were cruising at that point but Bendtner's first goal, in the 40th minute, hauled Denmark back into the game. Jakob Poulsen, an early substitute for the injured Niki Zimling, whipped a cross deep to the far post where Michael Krohn-Dehli headed back across goal for Bendtner to nod home with the minimum of fuss.
Ronaldo should have restored Portugal's two-goal advantage when Postiga allowed Nani's diagonal ball to run but he shot to close to Stephan Andersen and the Denmark goalkeeper denied him. He wasted another gilt-edged opportunity in the 78th minute, shooting horribly wide after another Nani pass had set him free, and when Bendtner nodded in his sixth goal in five games against Portugal two minutes later to bring Denmark level, it looked like Ronaldo would pay a heavy price for his wastefulness. But with time running out Varela rifled the ball in with his right foot, after he had miskicked with his left, to give Paulo Bento's side the three points they so badly needed. Read More
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