Denmark Weather Swedish Storm to Snatch 2-1 World Cup Qualifying Win

Harder, Thomsen down Sweden as Denmark go top of World Cup Group

Janni Thomsen’s stoppage-time goal gave Denmark a shock 2-1 win over Sweden in Gothenburg, their first victory on Swedish soil in 11 years, topping the group.

Thomsen stoppage-time winner ends Denmark's 11-year wait for victory in Sweden...

Denmark survive Swedish siege to snatch first win in Sweden in 11 years with stoppage-time goal

A stoppage-time goal from Janni Thomsen gave Denmark their first win on Swedish soil in 11 years, as Jakob Michelsen’s side survived a second-half onslaught to beat Sweden 2-1 in Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier in Gothenburg.

The Danish women were under pressure for much of the match, but Swedish wastefulness and a slice of luck helped the visitors escape with all three points on Tuesday night.

  

Sweden created chance after chance but lacked the final touch to turn dominance into goals. That proved costly, as Denmark scored with their only opportunity of the second half.

Monica Jusu Bah gave the hosts an early lead before Pernille Harder levelled on the half-hour mark. Then, in stoppage time, Janni Thomsen finished a counter-attack to seal a hugely surprising away win.

It’s the first time in almost ten years that Denmark have beaten Sweden in a final-tournament qualifier.

Sweden had won all three meetings with Denmark in 2025. The Danes’ last victory came in September 2016 during Euro qualifying, when they beat a Sweden side that had already clinched the group.

The result puts Denmark top of the World Cup qualifying group with seven points. Sweden sit on four, level with Italy after the Italians’ 6-0 win over Serbia on Tuesday.

 

In Gothenburg on Tuesday, Denmark were pinned back from the opening whistle. The hosts hit the post before a minute had passed. It was wave after wave of Swedish pressure on the Danish goal, and a goal felt inevitable.

After eight minutes, Sweden worked their way into the Danish box with ease. When the ball was cut back across goal, Jusu Bah was there to tap it home from close range.

 

Sweden then eased off, giving Denmark a chance to breathe. Still, the hosts kept carving out chances with ease. They couldn’t convert the big ones, and it proved costly on the half-hour mark.

Napoli’s Cecilie Floe broke into the box on the right and squared for Pernille Harder, who finished with the inside of her foot to make it 1-1 before half-time.

SEJR I GÖTEBORG!

Janni Thomsen scorer til 2-1 og aftenens kamp ender med en sejr til Danmark efter 90 intense minutter! Vi tager derfor 3 point med videre 👏 pic.twitter.com/qlWYy8T9aB

— Fodboldlandsholdene 🇩🇰 (@dbulandshold) April 14, 2026

Denmark barely left their own half in the second period under relentless Swedish pressure, and things got tougher when captain Pernille Harder was forced off after an hour following a head collision.

Yet completely against the run of play, the visitors snatched it in stoppage time. Janni Thomsen slipped the ball under onrushing keeper Jennifer Falk to hand Denmark a hugely unlikely 2-1 win.