Brilliant Bendtner confounds critics with Denmark hat-trick

By Philip O'Connor (Reuters) - Nicklas Bendtner's club career may consist of more lows than highs right now but in the red shirt of Denmark he can seemingly do no wrong. Despite suffering a lack of playing time with VfL Wolfsburg and his previous team Arsenal, the 27-year-old has regularly found the net in internationals. Bendtner grabbed his first hat-trick for Denmark on Wednesday as they fought back to beat the United States 3-2 in a friendly in Aarhus. "It means a lot to me," he told Kanal 5 television. Denmark coach Morten Olsen spoke before the game of how Bendtner had played almost as many international matches as club games, and urged the striker to take the chance to "let his feet do the talking" against the United States. With a display full of pace and power, Bendtner took his coach's advice. Showing off the full range of his talents against the dogged American rearguard, he brought his side back from 1-0 and 2-1 down before gleefully rifling home the winner in the final minute with a thumping first-time shot. He could have netted at least two more either side of halftime, first failing to connect with a pass flashed across the face of goal and then firing narrowly wide with a tremendous left-foot effort as the second half began. It was a far cry from the Bendtner that failed to find the net in an ill-fated loan spell at Juventus, or the player that struggled to win over Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, who repeatedly loaned him out during a nine-year spell at the club. Elated after the victory, Bendtner said the Americans provided a stern test for Denmark and that his side were happy to claim the win. "In places we didn't play so well, while in others it looked really promising, in the end it could have been 3-3," he said. "Of course I am happy with the result, but there is room for improvement." His three goals take his tally to 29 from 65 international matches, a strike rate far better than in his club career where he averages roughly one goal every four games. "It might help my situation at Wolfsburg," Bendtner said of his hat-trick. "It can't make it any worse in any case. "But when we are here I focus on the national team and not my club team." (Editing by Toby Davis)