Braga: Denmark beat Bulgaria 2-0 in a rugged Euro 2004 group C match on Friday, sending the latter out of the tournament.

Striker Jon Dahl Tomasson’s 44th-minute goal ensured Denmark did not notch up a record five successive matches at European Championships without scoring, and substitute Jesper Gronkjaer added a deserved second in injury time.

Bulgaria, thrashed 5-0 by Sweden in their opening match, never really threatened and following a succession of bookings, their frustration was complete when captain Stilian Petrov was sent off seven minutes from time for arguing with referee Lucillo Batista.

Denmark dominated the first half but failed to find the net until just before the interval when Thomas Gravesen put a fine through ball low to Martin Joergensen and he passed square in front of ’keeper Zdravko Zdravkov for Tomasson to tap in.

Zdravkov had to come out sharply to block a shot from Joergensen from the right after only five minutes and Vladimir Ivanov cleared from Ebbe Sand with the keeper out of position.

The Danes created a string of chances which all went begging with Gronkjaer’s low shot to the near post from the left the best. Zdravkov had to go down sharply to save it. Gronkjaer finally added the Danes’ second goal two minutes into stoppage time with a low angled shot from 10m.

TEAMS

Bulgaria (4-5-1): Zdravko Zdravkov; Vladimir Ivanov (Zdravko Lazarov 51), Rosen Kirilov, Ilian Stoyanov, Ivailo Petkov (Zlatomir Zagorcic 40); Georgi Peev, Stilian Petrov, Marian Hristov, Martin Petrov, Zoran Jankovic (Milen Petkov 81); Dimitar Berbatov.

Denmark (4-3-3): Thomas Sorensen; Thomas Helveg, Martin Laursen, Rene Henriksen, Niclas Jensen; Thomas Gravesen, Jon Dahl Tomasson, Daniel Jensen; Martin Joergensen (Claus Jensen 72), Ebbe Sand, Dennis Rommedahl (Jesper Gronkjaer 23).

Referee: Lucilio Batista (Portugal).