COPENHAGEN, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Denmark lost 82-72 at home to Italy in a European Championship women's basketball qualifier at the City Arena, Copenhagen on Sunday.
The Italians held an 8 to 10 points' lead in most time of the match, only being momentarily threatened when, with a short time remaining, a resurgent Danish team reduced the deficient to 72-76. But the experienced Italians pulled away with six points in a row towards the game's end.
Despite the result, the match marked an emotional first home game in 19 years for Denmark's women who had to hold a fundraiser to finance their current qualification campaign because the Danish Basketball Federation has been unable to finance two national teams and preferred to invest in the men's national team.
Sunday's result is the second defeat in four days for the Danes. On Thursday, Denmark's women lost to Romania 70-55 in their first qualifying match for the European Championships to be held in 2021.
