Wales remain without a win in the UEFA Women's Nations League after succumbing to a crushing 5-1 defeat at home to Denmark at Cardiff City Stadium. It comes after Wales' 1-0 defeat away to Iceland in their opening game of the campaign last week.
Pernille Harder's first-half double, her first coming from the spot, put the visitors in firm control of proceedings in the Welsh capital, before Jess Fishlock's stunner hauled Wales back into the game. But goals from Frederikke Thogersen, Sanne Troelsgaard and a third from Harder ultimately sealed the points for Denmark, who are now top of the group in League A.
Wales, however, remain without a point following their opening two outings, with tough trips to Denmark and Germany, who beat Iceland 4-0 earlier in the day, to come. This was always going to be a stern test for Gemma Grainger's side, against a Danish side that had recently reached the last-16 of the World Cup.
It didn't take long for the scale of the task to become clear. Indeed, Wales were behind after just five minutes in the capital.
Ceri Holland sliced her clearance from Sofie Svava's corner, and Rhiannon Roberts then collided with Amalie Vangsgaard inside the box. Referee Stephanie Frappart had little hesitation in pointing to the spot, and Harder made no mistake in slotting home.
A poor start. But Welsh worries were to deepen just six minutes later. Josefine Hasbo did well to poke a pass through three Wales bodies for Thogersen, and her low cross found Harder unmarked and with all the time in the world to pick her spot.
Two goals down, and if anything the scoreline flattered Wales such was Denmark's early dominance. Harder should have had her hat-trick just before the break, but somehow conspired to curl just wide following a marvellous piece of skill from Vangsgaard out on the right.
Wales simply had no response, with Fishlock's yellow card arguably embodying their frustrations, although Holland did rattle the side-netting with an angled shot on the stroke of half-time. Kayleigh Green was introduced at the break, presumably in an attempt to give Grainger's side more bite in the final third, and her introduction admittedly coincided with some signs of encouragement from the hosts.
But it was the typically talismanic Fishlock who got Wales back into the contest. Some fine work from Carrie Jones teed up the OL Reign star near the edge of the D, and she thundered a superb effort into the top corner.
In comparison to what was a flat first half, Wales suddenly looked galvanised, but Denmark would deal a sucker-punch to any hopes of a comeback just after the hour. Svava, one of several Danish stars to impress on the night, got the better of her defender, and whipped in a teasing cross for Thogersen, who bundled home from close range. Green then saw two half-chances to get a second Welsh goal go begging, and any remaining faint hopes of an increasingly unlikely comeback were ruthlessly crushed in the final three minutes.
Wales goalkeeper Olivia Clark did well to deny Nicoline Sorensen on the counter, but Troelsgaard was there to head home the rebound. And a miserable night for Wales was completed when Harder sealed her hat-trick in the first minute of stoppage time, reacting quickest after Signe Bruun's effort came back off the crossbar to tuck home.
Wales: Clark; Roberts, Ladd, Evans, Woodham, Ingle (c), James, Fishlock (F. Morgan '75), Holland, Rowe (K.Green '46), Jones (J. Green '75)
Subs: O'Sullivan, Middleton-Patel, McAteer, Williams, Powell, Morgan, Wynne, Hughes, Filbey
Denmark: Christensen; Thogersen, Ballisager, Boye, Veje (Sevecke 90+1); Kuhl, Junge-Pedersen (Troelsgaard 64); Hasbo, Harder (Gejl 90+1), Svava (Sorensen 83); Vangsgaard (Bruun 64)
Subs: Thrige, Bredgaard, Larsen, Madsen, Gevitz, Faerge, Bay Ostergaard
Key Events
Full-time
All over.
A really disappointing night for Wales, who were second best in every department tonight.
Subs
Another double sub for Denmark.
Harder and Veje are replaced by Gejl and Sevecke.
GOAL! Wales 1-5 Denmark (Harder)
Harder has her hat-trick.
Bruun strikes the bar just inside the area.
Wales once again don't react quick enough to the rebound, and Harder turns home.
Just far, far too easy.
GOAL! Wales 1-4 Denmark (Troelsgaard)
Denmark hit the hosts on the counter.
Good save from Clark to deny Sorensen initially, but the rebound is headed in by Troelsgaard.
Greens everywhere
Well sort of.
Josephine Green plays in a low ball for Kayleigh Green, who's about to pull the trigger before Ballisager slides in to take the ball away from her and behind for a corner.
Comes to nothing.
Green!
So close to a second Wales goal.
Ffion Morgan does so well to beat the offside trap and burst away down the right.
It's a lovely ball into the box for Kayleigh Green, but she can't get a touch.
If she had, you suspect it goes into the back of the net.
Lovely run by Roberts
Meanders her way through the Danish defence. Gets to the byline and pings in a cross.
Straight out of play for a goal kick.
Double change
Wales make a double change.
Jones and Fishlock make way for Ffion Morgan and Josephine Green.
Just too much
Wales unfortunately guilty of overplaying it a bit there.
Green gets away down the left, and squares for Fishlock, who on the edge of the area flicks on to Holland.
She tries another pass but it's a step to far inside the box and Denmark clear.
Subs
Double change for Denmark.
Pedersen and Vangsgaard make way for Troelsgaard and Bruun.
Yellow card
Ladd is into the book for a foul on Harder.
It's about 35 yards out here.
GOAL! Wales 1-3 Denmark (Thogersen)
Denmark restore their two-goal advantage.
It's the result of some really good work down the left by Svava, who does the hard bit by beating her defender before playing in a cross towards the far post.
Harder's also lurking, but it's Thogersen who's there to bundle home from close range.
Ladd thumps clear
She's there to hoof away Vangsgaard's cross from the right.
Has a word with some of her team-mates there afterwards.
Wales, in terms of shape, have looked much better in this second half.
GOAL! Wales 1-2 Denmark (Fishlock)
Oh that is marvellous.
Jones does well to wriggle free into some space on the edge of the box. She tees up Fishlock, who thunders an effort into the top right corner.
Brilliant finish.
Scrappy stuff at the moment
Neither side really getting a hold of things in this second half so far.
Half-time
Wales have stirred a little, but on the whole it's been a disappointing first half for Gemma Grainger's side.
Side-netting
Holland works space for a shot inside the box.
It's a tight angle, and she fires it into the side-netting.
A large portion of the ground thought it was in.
Chance!
Fishlock tries make something happen
Twists and turns on the edge of the box before poking a ball through the middle of the Danish defence.
It's neither a shot nor a pass, and it's easily dealt with.
Should be three
A wondeful flick from Vangsgaard allows her to get the better of Ladd out on the right.
Pings in a low cross, but Roberts is there to block initially, although she can only touch it on for Harder, who has so much time to pick her spot.
On this occasion, it's wide. Somehow.
Clark claims
It's a poor freekick in truth. Neither a shot nor a pass really.
Simple for Clark to claim in the end, and there's a huge roar from the home crowd as she does just that.
Yellow card
Fishlock perhaps letting frustrations get the better of her there.
Slides in and trips Svava, who's been excellent so far.
Freekick in a decent position for Denmark, around 30 yards from goal.
Svava enjoying herself tonight
Denmark playing some really nice stuff at times.
Svava is played in down the left yet again and dinks a cross in.
This time it's Woodham who hoofs clear.
Fishlock nearly in
Jones tries to thread a pass in for Fishlock, but it's never looking likely to get to her as she dashes into the penalty area.
Fishlock thankful for the attempt. Not seen enough of her quality yet tonight.
Evans away
Svava curls in a cross from the left.
Clark initially comes to claim, but Evans beats her to the ball to head clear.
Wales just haven't settled so far. Getting too many of the basics wrong, and Denmark look very comfortable.
