JOHANNESBURG // Morten Olsen, the refreshingly realistic Denmark coach, admits his side will be more than happy with a solitary point against a much-fancied Holland team when the two countries meet at Soccer City stadium this afternoon.
Denmark have never failed to progress past the group stages in three previous World Cup campaigns, but having already lost their forward pairing of Nicklas Bendtner and Jon Dahl Tomasson to injury for today's match and facing what will likely be his side's biggest test of Group E, their coach remains philosophical.
"A good result would be a draw for us," Olsen said. "The Netherlands are the favourites; they have good individual players that play at the top international level.
"It's nice to be a favourite because if you are the favourite it is because you are assumed to be better than the other team." "But we are certainly ready to take them on - any team has restrictions, limitations and weaknesses, and obviously it is up to us to see if we can benefit." The Danes have been hit by several injuries during their four-week preparation and will miss Bendtner, who is recovering from a groin injury.
Asked about the Bendtner situation and whether he had become part of a game of bluff between Olsen and Bert van Marwijk, the Dutch coach, the Dane said: "If Van Marwijk said that he expects Bendtner to feature, I can say that I expect [the injured Dutch winger Arjen] Robben to play. Christian Poulsen, the Denmark midfielder, says that, while his side is more focused on positive results over Cameroon and Japan, their underdog status can work in their favour today.
"It is kind of a bonus match, against one of the favourites of the World Cup," said the Juventus schemer. "We hope we can show how we play as a team. We can only surprise."
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