Dario Silva goes down (Allsport).

By David Anderson, PA Sport, Ulsan

Newcastle fans must be wondering how a player who could hardly hit a barn door at St James' Park, let alone the back of the net, can now be one of the most feared strikers in Europe.

Jon Dahl Tomasson was a spectacular failure at Newcastle and in 33 games during his one season at the club between 1997 and 1998 he managed just four goals.

Newcastle supporters were relieved when Feyenoord took him off their hands for £2.5million in the summer of 1998 and for many of them they could not say goodbye quick enough.

Yet four years later the same Tomasson, fresh from winning the UEFA Cup with Feyenoord, has scored both the goals which have taken Denmark top of World Cup Group A.

And two real poacher's efforts they were too. The first was a simple left-footed conversion and the second, eight minutes from time, was a well-placed header.

They were his 15th and 16th goals for his country and further evidence why he will be playing for AC Milan next season.

In Tomasson's defence he was only 20 when he joined Newcastle, while he was never the out-and-out striker Kenny Dalglish deployed him as.

His strength is lying in a deep position, playing just off frontman Ebbe Sand and in that role he has become Denmark's most influential player.

It was Sand, though, who came closest to opening the scoring early on in the less-than-full Munsu Stadium when his free header from Thomas Helveg's deep cross bounced off the ground and grazed the face of the bar.

In between times, Uruguay's Alvaro Recoba caused Denmark all manner of problems with that sublime left foot of his.

The best left foot to come out of South America since Diego Maradona's is how many rate it and it is easy to see why after his display before he was taken off exhausted near the end.

The Inter Milan striker curled one free-kick just wide before he landed another on to the head of Dario Rodriguez whose effort was well saved by Sunderland's Thomas Sorensen.

But then just when Uruguay thought they would go in level at the interval, Tomasson combined with Chelsea's Jesper Gronkjaer to open the scoring.

There were just 30 seconds left of the half when Tomasson played a one-two with Gronkjaer and sidefooted the winger's return home from just under eight yards out.

Denmark's lead was short-lived - 70 seconds of the second half had elapsed to be precise -and Rodriguez equalised with an early contender for goal of the tournament.

The Danes could only clear Recoba's corner as far as Pablo Garcia and he knocked the ball square to Rodriguez, who from 20 yards out let fly with a left-footed volley which rocketed into the top corner giving Sorensen no chance.

The goal clearly rocked Denmark, who famously thumped Uruguay 6-1 at Mexico 86, and it was not until the final period of the game that they regained the initiative.

Their winner came after Uruguay had withdrawn Recoba and substitute Martin Jorgensen crossed from the left for Tomasson to direct home a simple header which left goalkeeper Fabian Carini rooted to the spot.

And to think he could still have been a Newcastle player.

Teams

Uruguay: Carini, Mendez, Sorondo, Montero, Rodriguez (Magallanes 87), Garcia, Guigou , Varela, Silva, Abreu (Morales 88), Recoba (Regueiro 80).

Subs Not Used: Bizera, de los Santos, Elduayen, Forlan, Lembo, Munua, O'Neill, Olivera, Romero.

Booked: Mendez.

Goals: Rodriguez 47.

Denmark: Sorensen, Henriksen, Laursen, Heintze (Niclas Jensen 57), Helveg, Tofting, Gravesen, Gronkjaer (Jorgensen 70), Tomasson, Sand (Poulsen 89), Rommedahl.

Subs Not Used: Bogelund, Christiansen, Claus Jensen, Kjaer, Lovenkrands, Lustu, Madsen, Michaelsen, Nielsen.

Booked: Heintze, Laursen.

Goals: Tomasson 45, 83.

Att: 30,157

Ref: Saad Kameel Mane (Kuwait).