Denmark dashed Haiti's hopes of advancing to the knockout phase of the FIFA Women's World Cup Finals at the first time of asking on August 1, eking out a 2-0 win over the plucky CONCACAF contenders in front of 17,897 fans at Perth's HBF Park, a record attendance for the venue. The Danes were quickly out of the blocks, and were denied a goal by the offside flag in the fifth minute, Simone Boye the player most disappointed by the decision, after Amelie Vangsgaard had twice threatened to break the deadlock in the minutes prior. After these early scares, the Haitians settled into the match, Melchie Dumornay, their talisman, directing operations for "The Grenadieres". But when Dayana Pierre-Louis handled in the area as Vangsgaard attempted to flick the ball past her, the writing was on the wall for Haiti, as Pernille Harder doesn't miss from twelve yards. Her 21st minute penalty, which brought up a century of goals for the tournament, gave Denmark a 1-0 advantage - the third spot-kick Haiti have conceded in as many matches, with the other efforts earning 1-0 wins for England and China over the Finals debutants, who have acquitted themselves well, results notwithstanding. They came close to mustering an equaliser in the 28th minute, with Lene Christensen keeping out an effort from Roseline Eloissaint. Nerilia Mondesir looked to follow that attempt up with a couple of efforts of her own soon after, to which Harder responded with a tame effort which gave Kerly Theus scant cause for concern, and another on the stroke of half-time which saw the ball in the net, but the offside flag raised aloft at the same time. The Danes were swift to set out their stall in the second spell, Nicoline Sorensen's great work down the left creating a chance for Vangsgaard with which she should have done better. Soon  after, Rikke Madsen fired tamely at Theus, after which Haiti enjoyed a decent spell of pressure, with Sherly Jeudy's goalbound drive only prevented from hitting

the target by Rikki Sevecke's bravery, the defender flinging herself in the way of the shot on the hour. The Haitians kept on pressing, with Nerilia Mondesir and Dumornay both giving Denmark plenty to think about as they sought to score their country's maiden goal in the tournament. The latter went close with a header from a Jeudy free-kick - Christensen dived to save it - after sending Roseford Borgella charging through in the 74th minute, only for her shot to be deflected to safety. Denmark weathered the storm, Harder having given Haiti a fright during the middle of it when forcing a save from Theus. In the last ten minutes, however, the European contenders, thanks in large part to a string of substitutions, found another gear, with Harder being denied a second goal in the 83rd minute for a foul on Theus by Signe Bruun in the build-up - the attacker fouled the 'keeper as both contested the ball outside the penalty area. Danish pressure continued to mount, with Josefine Hasbo seeing a drive deflected past the post in stoppage time, and Katrine Veje's resulting corner being missed by both Vangsgaard and Bruun. Theus pulled off a superb one-on-one save soon after to block at the feet of Mille Gejl, but nearly undid her good work by spilling Veje's resulting corner. Her defenders came to her rescue, but as Haiti pushed on in search of a late equaliser, Denmark hit them with a sucker punch to clinch victory, Sanne Troelsgaard racing through the inside-right channel to lash a shot beyond Theus and clinch a 2-0 win - and a place in the last sixteen - for the Danes. Haiti:          Theus; Petit-Frere (Mathurin, 87), Surpris, Joseph, K. Louis; B. Louis, Jeudy, D. Pierre-Louis (Borgella, 67), Eloissaint; Mondesir, Dumornay Denmark:     Christensen; Sevecke, Thomsen, Boye, Veje; Madsen (Gejl, 63), Holmgaard (booked, 66 (Troelsgaard, 80)), Kuhl (Hasbo, 80), Sorensen (Bruun, 63); Vangsgaard, Harder (Gevitz, 90) Referee:     Oh Hyeon Jeong (Korea Republic)