West Ham United’s Emma Snerle was unable to help Denmark avert defeat against Italy in their opening game of the 2022 Algarve Cup.
The Hammers’ midfielder, who joined the Club last month from Fortuna Hjørring, picked up her 23rd cap for her country as she came off the bench for the final 30 minutes of a 1-0 defeat at Estádio Municipal de Lagos, Portugal.
Juventus forward Barbara Bonansea had already set Italy on course for victory with a sweeping finish from close range after 50 minutes.
That was the way a tight game remained, but Snerle did come close to helping her side to an equaliser with a clever outside-of-the-boot pass to set fellow substitute Matilde Lundorf Skovsen in on goal, only for goalkeeper Laura Giuliani to smother the effort.
With teams only playing two games in the group stages, Denmark will need to win against tournament favourites Sweden – the second-highest ranked team in the world – on Friday afternoon, and hope that other results go their way, if they are to reach the final.
An invitational tournament for national teams in women's association football, the Algarve Cup has been hosted by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) since 1994, and remains one of the most prestigious women’s international football events, having been nicknamed the "Mini FIFA Women's World Cup".
The other teams competing in 2022’s edition are hosts Portugal, Italy, Sweden and Norway.
Teams will play two group-stage matches to determine initial league placings, with the top two sides then advancing to the final and teams third to fifth facing one other in 45-minute matches to determine the remaining rankings.
Elsewhere, Hawa Cissoko was not in the France squad for their 5-0 win over Finland at the Tournoi de France, but is one of seven Hammers away on international duty this fortnight.