Van Nistelrooy, Wesley Sneijder, Arjen Robben and goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar all returned to the Oranje side after being rested by coach Marco van Basten for the 3-0 victory over Ukraine last weekend and all made a good impression.

But Christian Poulsen struck after 56 minutes to equalise Van Nistelrooy's 30th-minute effort, meaning Holland had to be content with a draw.

In a topsy-turvy opening, Robben was first to try his luck but missed from the edge of the area - a feat Dennis Rommedahl repeated at the other end moments later.

Holland won a corner after 11 minutes which Rafael van der Vaart sent into the box, Joris Mathijsen heading wide from 12 yards.

Six minutes later Holland turned defence into attack as Andre Ooijer cleared a corner from Kenneth Perez.

The Dutch went up the other end and Demy de Zeeuw shot left footed from 20 yards, only to see Jesper Christiansen make the save.

The end-to-end nature of the game continued as Van der Vaart fired wide from 25 yards and Denmark striker Nicklas Bendtner spurned a glorious opportunity, missing the target from six yards.

But Holland deservedly broke the deadlock on the half-hour mark.

Robben's cross from the left found Van Nistelrooy, who converted right-footed from 12 yards.

Van der Vaart again tried his luck four minutes later, but could not keep his effort down.

Perez saw his shot blocked by his team-mate - Per Kroldrup - and Holland went in at half-time with a narrow lead.

Denmark came out fighting in the second half and came close to equalising in the 49th minute when Bendtner's shot was tipped round the post by Van der Sar.

Denmark could not make the most of the resulting corner from Perez.

The equaliser did arrive with 56 minutes gone and it was Bendtner who was the creator.

His pass from the left side of the six-yard box found Poulsen, who finished low into the centre of the goal.

The leveller spurred Holland into action and half-time substitute Nigel De Jong fired over from inside the box.

Jesper Christiansen was tested by a Sneijder effort after 68 minutes but held on and the same player drilled a shot over the bar shortly after.

Christiansen's handling was again good enough when Robben fired shot after 72 minutes.

The substitutions were coming thick and fast and one of them - Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink - forced Christiansen to parry a minute later.

The ball broke to Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt, a second-half replacement for Van der Vaart, but he sent his effort over.

Kroldrup headed a rare chance wide at the other end from Rommedahl's corner, while Martin Retov's shot was off target from the edge of the box, but Denmark's best chance came in the third minute of stoppage time.

Bendtner shot on goal from 18 yards, forcing Van der Sar to punch clear as the game meandered its way to a draw.