Wales were left at the bottom of their UEFA Nations League group after a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Denmark at a vibrant Parken Stadium in Copenhagen.
Two second-half goals stemming from Mikkel Damsgaard set-pieces—a Ben Davies own goal followed by a deflected Gustav Isaksen strike—handed Brian Riemer’s side a comfortable victory.
The result leaves Craig Bellamy’s side without a point or a goal from their opening two Group A4 fixtures following Thursday’s narrow loss in Lisbon. While Wales showed flashes of discipline before the interval, their persistent vulnerability at dead-ball situations and a lack of clinical edge in attack ultimately proved costly.
Early Warnings & VAR Reprieve
Denmark asserted their dominance early, testing Wales' backline with sharp movement in wide positions.
Lazio winger Gustav Isaksen posed an immediate threat down the right, flashing wide early before appearing to open the scoring in the 24th minute. Rasmus Højlund lifted a delicate cross into the box for Isaksen to volley past Danny Ward, but a VAR check ruled the goal out for a marginal offside in the build-up.
Wales survived further pressure moments later when Mikkel Damsgaard’s dipping strike rattled off Ward’s right-hand post.
Gustav Isaksen yn rhwydo’n gampus i Denmarc, ond VAR yn dynodi ei fod yn camsefyll 🇩🇰@S4Cchwaraeon | #NationsLeague pic.twitter.com/kAR4D3siiG
— Sgorio (@sgorio) September 27, 2026
Rare Welsh Opening
Despite chasing shadows for long spells of the first half, Wales gradually found moments to break forward.
Sorba Thomas provided width and pace, while Connor Roberts—recalled to the starting lineup by Bellamy—offered some useful overlapping runs down the right flank.
Wales created their best opening just before the break when Brennan Johnson drove to the byline and cut the ball back into the six-yard box. Roberts connected with an instinctive flick, forcing Danish keeper Filip Jørgensen into a sharp reflex save over the bar to keep the scores level going into the break.
Arbediad adweithiol gan Filip Jörgensen i atal Connor Roberts 🧤@S4Cchwaraeon | #NationsLeague pic.twitter.com/IC1yLpPCYY
— Sgorio (@sgorio) September 27, 2026
Damsgaard Delivery Causes Set-Piece Chaos
The second half began with higher intensity, but Wales' defensive resolve crumbled eight minutes after the restart.
A foul by Neco Williams on the edge of the penalty area handed Denmark a dangerous free-kick on the right wing. Damsgaard whipped a treacherous delivery into the six-yard box, prompting a tussle between Højlund and Ben Davies.
Davies attempted to block the Danish forward, but succeeded only in turning the ball into his own net past a helpless Ward to break the deadlock.
Gôl i’w rwyd ei hun gan Ben Davies. Denmarc ar y blaen yn Stadiwm Parken 🇩🇰@S4Cchwaraeon | #NationsLeague pic.twitter.com/bTMkH3qDJY
— Sgorio (@sgorio) September 27, 2026
Isaksen Strikes to Seal Danish Control
Conceding the opener sapped Wales of their momentum, and Denmark doubled their lead in the 66th minute through another set-piece sequence.
Damsgaard’s initial delivery was weakly headed off the line by Kieffer Moore, falling directly to a poorly marked Isaksen at the edge of the area. The winger struck a crisp volley that took a deflection through a crowded box and flew under the crossbar.
Wales thought they had pulled a goal back late on when Neco Williams smashed home from close range, but the referee blew early for an Ethan Ampadu foul in the buildup.
Gustav Isaksen gyda’i seithfed gôl dros ei wlad ac yn dyblu mantais Denmarc ⚽️@S4Cchwaraeon | #NationsLeague pic.twitter.com/TlVoVcujIN
— Sgorio (@sgorio) September 27, 2026
Bellamy's Glaring Issues
The defeat highlighted multiple ongoing concerns for Bellamy’s side, including in the final third, where they have failed to score in the first half of any international fixture in 2026.
While Wales registered 10 goal attempts [3 on target], very few tested Jørgensen cleanly once Denmark took command of central midfield. Pierre-Emile Højbjerg and Morten Hjulmand dictated the tempo, preventing Charlie Savage and Ethan Ampadu from establishing any sort of sustained possession or control of the game.
Without any semblance of consistent service into the penalty area, Wales looked increasingly isolated in attack as the match slipped out of reach.
Additionally, Wales continue to look extremely vulnerable from set-piece and dead-ball scenarios. This is not an issue exclusive to Bellamy; however, the lack of perceived progress in this area is yet another frustration for the Red Wall.
Pressure Builds
Back-to-back defeats leave Wales bottom of Group A4 with zero points and an urgent need to recalibrate before Thursday's fixture against Norway, rounding out the current international break.
While Craig Bellamy can take some positives from the performance in Lisbon, the performance in Copenhagen has firmly brought him back down to earth.
With a daunting fixture against Norway on the horizon, Wales must quickly find answers if they are to avoid a relegation battle in the Nations League.
