Denmark 1 Italy 2, March 27th 1999

Italy pout one foot in the Euro 2000 finals tonight in Copenhagen with a 2-1 win over Denmark who are all but out of the competition they won in 1992.

Antonio Conte scored a 70th minute winner to also strike a psychological blow for Juventus against Manchester United as his header beat Danish captain Peter Schmeichel to send the midfielder wheeling away in celebration. Conte scored the goal against Olympiakos in the Champions League ten days ago that saw Juve through to a semi final next month against United.

Italy raced into the lead and left the home side reeling when a first minute mistake from debut defender Groenkjaer whose back pas put Juventus striker Filippo Inzaghi through on goal to take the ball around a stunned Schmeichel and into the net.

Denmark never recovered their poise in a scrappy first half but emerged to level the score after some good play in the second session. Miklos Molnar jumped to meet a cross but his header came back off the bar but the ball fell kindly for Ebbe Sand and he converted the chance to restore Danish confidence in the 58th minute but Italy had the extra quality and new belief in attacking principles installed by coach Dino Zoff to look for a winner. They found it to depress the forty thousand plus crowd.