COPENHAGEN, June 21, 2021 - Denmark, inspired by the emotion generated from the Christian Eriksen trauma, are off into the round of 16 at Euro 2020 after beating Russia 4-1 in Copenhagen.
The Danes achieved a fairytale recovery, in the land of Hans Christian Andersen, and will now play Wales in Amsterdam on Saturday as Group B runners-up. Belgium, top of the table, will play one of the third-placed teams in Seville on Sunday.
Denmark, ironically, had some assistance from St Petersburg where Belgium beat tournament newcomers Finland 2-0 with two late goals. If the Finns had clung on for a goalless draw they would have finished runners-up instead of the Danes.
Austria, too
Earlier, in Group C, Austria grabbed a guaranteed place in the knockout stage by defeating Ukraine 1-0 in Bucharest. Victory saw Austria overtake Ukraine and claim second place behind the Netherlands while Andriy Shevchenko’s men are uncertain of progress as one of the best third-placed teams.
However the most nerve-shredding drama was reserved for a night of rare football passion in Copenhagen, in the same Parken Stadion where Danish captain and playmaker Eriksen had suffered his cardiac arrest nine days earlier.
Denmark kicked off bottom of the Group B table with no points. Yet they never doubted their ability to turn the Euro on its head and stormed into a first-half lead with a superb goal from Mikkel Damsgaard. Just before hour Yusuf Poulsen struck a second, punishing an awful back pass by Daler Kuzyaev.
Russia pulled one back with a penalty converted by Artem Dziuba but the Danes, roared forward relentlessly by their home crowd in the Parekn Stadion, struck twice more, magnificently, in three minutes through Andreas Christensen and Joakim Maehle.
That all added up to to a sporting night Copenhagen will never forget.
Blow for youth
In the previous Group C deciders highly-rated Christoph Baumgartner jabbed Austria’s winner against Ukraine in the 21st minute from a left wing corner by the inspirational David Alaba. The Hoffenheim midfielder thus became, at 20, the youngest marksman in these finals.
Coach Franco Foda’s Austrians will renew one of the great old European football rivalries against Italy at Wembley on Saturday. This will be Austria’s first appearance in a knockout stage of a major tournament since the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland.
The other, simultaneous, match saw Netherlands defeat North Macedonia 3-0 on goals from Memphis Depay and Ginio Wijnaldum (two).
Victory confirmed Netherlands as group winners with a 100pc record. North Macedonia, appearing in their first major tournament finals, were already doomed to follow Turkey on the early flights home.
Russia, of course, will be joining them.
