Danish women call off strike

COPENHAGEN, Denmark: The Danish women’s national team on Friday called off a strike over a wage dispute with the Danish Football Association (DBU) that saw a World Cup qualifier against Sweden cancelled, putting the team’s 2019 bid at risk.

The match against Sweden was to have been played in the southwestern Swedish city of Gothenburg later Friday, but was cancelled on Wednesday.

The DBU and the players’ union issued a joint statement Friday saying that the two parties had “reached a temporary agreement that ensures the staging of an important match”, another qualifier, against Croatia, on Tuesday.

DBU official Kim Hallberg hailed the agreement, saying: “There’s been too much conflict lately and it’s hurt the women’s team. Now we focus totally on football.”