Under-fire Danish coach Riemer says there are no excuses for missing out on WC

Denmark’s World Cup hopes collapsed in brutal fashion as Brian Riemer’s side fell 3–1 on penalties to the Czech Republic in their decisive playoff, a result the coach said his team “only had themselves to blame” for. The Danes, top‑seeded in qualifying, squandered three separate opportunities to secure progression against Belarus, Scotland and finally the Czechs, who had led in both normal time and extra time before sealing their ticket to the finals.

Riemer admitted deep disappointment, stressing that the squad had failed to deliver the World Cup dream shared by players and supporters. Speaking to TV Sport, he highlighted Denmark’s lack of cutting edge, noting that while they controlled long stretches of the match, they created too few clear chances. He pointed to the 2–2 draw against Belarus at Parken as the moment their campaign began to unravel. Instead of joining the 48‑team tournament this summer, Denmark now face an unwanted early break.