Denmark happy to hear noisy booing fans in 2-0 win at Israel

<p>TEL AVIV, Israel &mdash; Being booed by the home fans made Denmark forward Martin Braithwaite a happy man in Israel on Thursday.</p>
<p>Braithwaite scored the 13th-minute opener in a 2-0 win that began Denmark’s World Cup qualifying program in front of a rare crowd of several thousand fans in this pandemic-affected season.</p>
<p>After Israel’s world-leading vaccine rollout, the Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv sounded noisier than the cavernous Camp Nou that is empty when Braithwaite plays for Barcelona.</p>
<p>“It was fantastic to feel that, even that fans were booing me,” Braithwaite said. “It sounds strange, but it makes me happy.”</p>
<p>Denmark had reason to be happy with an away win in Group F, where it is the only one of the six teams to have played at a World Cup since the 1990s. Israel’s only appearance was in 1970.</p>
<p>Jonas Wind sealed the win in a 67th with a close-range shot in a crowded goalmouth.</p>
<p>Scotland needed a spectacular overhead bicycle kick from midfielder John McGinn in the 85th to draw 2-2 with Austria in rain-soaked Glasgow.</p>
<p>All the goals came in the second half, with Saša Kalajdžić twice giving the Austrians a lead, in the 55th and 80th. Scotland defender Grant Hanley headed in the first equalizing goal in the 71st.</p>
<p>Moldova drew 1-1 at home against the Faeroe Islands.</p>
<p>The Danes have been to three World Cup tournaments since they, Austria and Scotland all went to the 1998 World Cup in France. All three have qualified for the pandemic-delayed 2020 European Championship that kicks off in June.</p>
<p>In the second round of games Sunday, Denmark hosts Moldova, Austria is at home to the Faeroes, and Scotland will play in front of Israeli fans in Tel Aviv.</p>
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