Robert Snodgrass scored on his full debut as Scotland beat Denmark in Wednesday's friendly at Hampden Park.
Leeds winger heads winner on full Scotland debut
Robert Snodgrass scored on his full debut as Scotland beat Denmark in Wednesday's friendly at Hampden Park.
Craig Levein's side took the lead when Charlie Adam's free-kick was directed into his own goal by William Kvist on 23 minutes.
But Denmark were level eight minutes later when Christian Eriksen's free-kick from the left sailed over Allan McGregor and into the net.
But the unmarked Snodgrass headed home Kenny Miller's cross a minute before the interval to hand Scotland the win, their first victory over Denmark since 1975.
The victory proved to be the perfect dress rehearsal for Levein's men as they prepare to host both the Czech Republic and Lithuania in a crucial Euro 2012 qualifying double-header at the same venue next month.
Leeds winger Snodgrass earned his first start having previously made two substitute appearances and, before the match kicked off, Scott Brown received a silver medal to mark his 25th cap for the national team.
Kenny Miller was tasked with providing the goals as the lone striker in a 4-5-1 formation, while Nicolai Boilesen made his debut for the Danes.
Relentless downpour
A relentless downpour all day had no doubt contributed to a smaller than usual crowd of 17,582.
The home side tried to give those who had made the effort on a wet Wednesday night something to cheer by putting their visitors under pressure early on.
Steven Naismith slipped a neat pass through to James Morrison in the box but a well-timed tackle from Simon Kjaer cleared the danger before the West Brom player could pull the trigger.
Snodgrass then delivered a tempting cross from the right for Miller but the Cardiff striker's header was weak and comfortably gathered by goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen.
There was concern from both sides when Brown and Kjaer collided with each other while going in for a tackle and, although they returned to the pitch after receiving treatment, the Celtic skipper was then forced out of the action after just 21 minutes.
Denmark had a decent chance to open the scoring when Eriksen burst towards the box before setting up the shot for Dennis Rommedahl but goalkeeper McGregor pulled off an impressive save to keep the scoreline level.
Brown had been replaced by Don Cowie, who contributed to the opener when he won a free-kick which was whipped into the goalmouth by Adam and helped into the back of the net by a deflection from Kvist Jafter 23 minutes.
Level terms
But the Danes were back on level terms eight minutes later thanks to a set-piece of their own after Michael Krohn-Dehli was fouled by Adam out on the left flank. Eriksen then sent a lovely swerving free-kick past the grasp of McGregor and into the top corner, although the keeper would have thought he could have done better.
The Rangers number one redeemed himself soon afterwards, making a great one-handed save to deny Krohn-Dehli's point-blank shot.
But it was the Scots who found the back of the net again a minute before half-time when Miller supplied a perfect cross from the left and Snodgrass headed home unmarked into the back of the net from a few yards out.
Denmark emerged after the restart determined to haul themselves back into the game and substitute Lasse Schone tried his luck with a powerful shot from distance but McGregor was up to the task again and parried wide.
Both managers used the second half to make a number of substitutions, with Craig Mackail-Smith, Graham Dorrans, Barry Bannan, James Forrest and Grant Hanley all handed a taste of the action for Scotland.
With the clock ticking down, Eriksen tried to add his own tally for the night with a long-range free-kick but this time it over with McGregor having it covered.
Substitute Nicklas Pedersen then hooked over from close range but the visitors failed to find the goal that would allow them to return to Denmark with the draw, before Bannan drew a decent save from Sorensen with his own ferocious shot in the final minutes.
