Schone, Eriksen ease Denmark past Iceland

REYKJAVIK, Iceland (AP)

Lasse Schone and Christian Eriksen scored second-half goals as Denmark beat Iceland 2-0 on Saturday to move level on points with Portugal and Norway at the top of Group H in European Championship qualifying.

Schone, who plays for NEC Nijmegen in the Dutch league, was introduced as a substitute at halftime and opened the scoring in the 60th minute.

Fellow midfielder Eriksen, Ajax's highly rated playmaker, sealed maximum points 15 minutes later for Morten Olsen's side.

Portugal's 1-0 victory over Norway later Saturday lifted Paulo Bento's side top of the table on goal difference but Denmark's win left all three teams on 10 points after five matches, with three remaining.

Iceland, which has never beaten Denmark, remained bottom and without a win from its first five matches.

The hosts were under the cosh throughout a one-sided first half but went into the break level, with Bo Svensson, Nicklas Bendtner and Eriksen all squandering good chances for the Danes.

EURO QUALIFYING - GROUP H

Sat., Jun. 4

Iceland 0-2 Denmark | Recap
Portugal 1-0 Norway | Recap

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Scores | Tables | Fixtures

Eidur Gudjohnsen threatened twice at the other end in the final moments of the first half before Schone gave Denmark the lead, collecting a pass from Niki Zimling and smashing a shot into the top corner from outside the area.

Eriksen wrapped up the victory in the 75th, when he ran onto Dennis Rommedahl's lay-off to find the bottom corner with a precise finish.

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Lineups:

Iceland: Stefan Magnusson, Birkir Saevarsson, Kristjan Sigurdsson, Hermann Hreidarsson (captain), Olafur Skulason (Alfred Finnbogason, 67), Eidur Gudjohnsen, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Heidar Helguson (Johann Gudmundsson, 77), Bjarni Eiriksson, Aron Gunnarsson, Kolbeinn Sigthorsson.

Denmark: Thomas Sorensen (captain), Niki Zimling, Simon Kjaer, Bo Svensson, Simon Poulsen, Lars Jacobsen, William Kvist (Christian Poulsen, 60), Christian Eriksen, Michael Krohn-Dehli (Lasse Schone, 46), Dennis Rommedahl, Nicklas Bendtner.