Bendtner doubtful for Japan clash

Nicklas Bendtner is doubtful for Denmark’s decisive Group E clash with Japan on Thursday, Danish coach Morten Olsen revealed.

The Arsenal forward has only been able to train on alternate days because of a groin problem and Olsen will make a late decision on whether he starts a match Denmark must win to reach the last 16 of the tournament.

“You have followed Nicklas’s programme, he is quite alright,” Olsen told reporters on the eve of the match at Rustenburg’s Royal Bafokeng Stadium.

“By necessity he does not train every other day and every time he plays we have to wait to see what the reaction is.

“There is always a doubt with an injury like that so we have to wait and see.”

Asked whether Bendtner had a better than 50-50 chance of being ready to face the Japanese, Olsen replied: “I’m very bad in mathematics, I don’t know. He is doubtful.”

Losing Bendtner would be a serious blow to Denmark’s hopes of getting the win they need, with his forward partner and captain Jon Dahl Tomasson also struggling for full fitness because of a hamstring problem.

As expected, Olsen confirmed that experienced midfielder Daniel Jensen had been ruled out of the match. The Werder Bremen star featured as a second-half substitute in the 2-1 win over Cameroon but suffered a recurrence of an Achilles injury.