Fans of Denmark place a flag out with a message of love and support for Christian Eriksen of Denmark during the Euro 2020 Group B match between Denmark and Belgium at Parken Stadium in Copenhagen, Denmark. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

COPENHAGEN, June 17, 2021 -  Neighbouring Belgium and Netherlands have joined Italy in the knockout stages of Euro 2020 but the most dramatic moment of Day Seven was staged by Denmark and their fans in Copenhagen.

Players of Denmark and Belgium halted their Group B tie after 10 minutes in the Copenhagen sunshine in tribute to Danish captain Christian Eriksen who remains in hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest at the weekend.

Eriksen had sent messages of reassurances to his team-mates and thanks to worried fans around the world after collapsing shortly before half-time in Denmark’s tie against Finland in the Parken stadion last Saturday.

By prior agreement with UEFA and Dutch referee Bjorn Kuipers, the players put the ball out of play in minute No10 – Eriksen’s national team shirt number – and led a one-minute round of applause in which fans and officials joined. Then, as Eriksen himself would have wished, it was back to business.

Eriksen’s team-mates overcame their own emotions and invested all their endeavour and skills to honour the occasion. A high-speed first half, however, was followed by a fatigued second half as Belgium recovered from a poor start to win 2-1 and secure a place in the round of 16 with a game to spare.

Denmark took the lead after only one minute 39 seconds, the second-fastest goal in Euro finals history, when Yusuf Poulsen punished a sloppy clearance out of the centre of defence by Belgian centre-back Jason Denayer.

The Danes continued to pour forward both sides of the Eriksen tribute and were unlucky not to score more against the shaky Belgians who looked nothing like a team officially ranked No1 in the world. Belgium were fortunate still to be in the match at half-time but everything changed with the arrival of substitute Kevin de Bruyne.

Manchester City’s midfielder combined brilliantly with Romelu Lukaku to set up an equaliser for Thorgan Hazard and then scored what proved the winning goal himself.

Belgian talent plus the emotion of the day proved too much for the Danes. As coach Kasper Hjulmand said: "We've felt enormous backing from all the people following us, this whole stadium and all the people we've met and felt the love from – that's what did it in the end.”

Beat Russia in their final group game and Denmark may still follow Belgium into the round of 16.

Netherlands ensured progress of their own with a comfortable 2-0 victory over an uninspired Austria in Group C in Amsterdam.

Dutch coach Frank de Boer will be content not only with the result and the certainty of progress but the lack of physical stress in seeing off first Ukraine and now the Austrians. Group B has been one of the weaker sections in the finals but that can work to the Netherlands’ advantage in the latter, knockout stages.

Memphis Depay shot them ahead from the penalty spot in the 11th minutes after raiding right wingback Denzel Dumfries was tripped by Austrian captain David Alaba. They extended their lead in the 67th minute when Depay sent substitute Donyell Malen running free from halfway to present Denzel Dumfries with an easy tap-in.

Austria lacked any threat in attack in the absence of Marco Arnautovic who had been suspended for this game by European federation UEFA after an insulting verbal outburst in the opening game against North Macedonia.

Ukraine maintained their own hopes of qualifying by defeating tournament newcomers North Macedonia 2-1 on goals from ‘strike twins’ Andriy Yarmolenko and Roman Yaremchuk. Their showdown with Austria on Monday in Bucharest will decide who goes through with the Dutch.

Italy secured the certainty of a place in the round of 16 on Wednesday.