KASPER SCHMEICHEL was a no show as Denmark beat Northern Ireland 2-1 in a friendly in Copenhagen last night.
The 38-year-old Celtic keeper remained on the substitutes’ bench throughout the 90-plus minutes as Chelsea’s Filip Jorgensen, 15 years his junior, made his debut.
Schmeichel, of course, dislocated his right shoulder in the previous international, the 5-2 UEFA Nations League play-off loss to Portugal in March and was sidelined for six consecutive matches for the champions in the season’s run-in.
The veteran netminder was also the target for some fierce and over-the-top media criticism following the defeat to Cristiano Ronaldo and Co in Lisbon.
AGONY…Kasper Schmeichel grimaces in pain after sustaining the shoulder injury on international duty in March that interrupted his debut season with Celtic.
The country’s captain stepped aside on this occasion with the Stamford Bridge shotstopper getting his chance to show what he can contribute at this level.
Former Hoops keeper Conor Hazard, now with Plymouth Argyle, was in at the kick-off for the visitors, but didn’t reappear after the break following an earlier collision with Manchester United frontman Rasmus Højlund.
Christian Eriksen hit the 67th-minute winner for the Danes in a comeback victory after former Spurs midfielder Pierre-Emile Højbjerg had put Michael O’Neill’s men ahead in the sixth minute.
Gustav Isaksen levelled in first-half stoppage time before Eriksen swept home the clincher.
Celtic-linked striker Mathias Kvistgaarden, making his senior international debut, was denied a goal to mark the occasion when Pierce Charles, Hazard’s replacement, produced an excellent save late on.
Denmark, who are in Scotland’s World Cup qualifying group, are due for another home game against Lithuania on Tuesday evening.
