Criticised Danish coach Riemer insists no excuses exist for World Cup qualification failure

The Czech Republic secured their position in the upcoming World Cup by defeating Denmark 3-1 in a penalty shootout following a captivating match where they maintained the advantage during regular time and added periods on Tuesday.

Entering the qualification campaign as the highest ranked team Denmark had multiple opportunities to achieve the vital victories over Belarus Scotland and the Czech Republic but now their squad will enjoy a break while 48 nations battle it out for World Cup honours this summer.

We are naturally upset that we could not deliver the ultimate prize for the Danish people a World Cup that everyone from players to the whole country yearned for. The responsibility lies with us and it is our shortfall that prevented the teams qualification.

On an evening such as this we must avoid offering justifications. We fell short on that decisive edge. In various aspects we controlled the match yet failed to generate sufficient scoring opportunities Riemer stated to TV Sport.

Riemer further noted that the encounter with Belarus at Parken Stadium which concluded in a 2-2 stalemate despite the pressing need for a triumph represented the point where Denmarks qualification bid began to unravel.