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European Football Championship: Denmark turns Group B upside down

Mikkel Damsgaard had given Denmark, which returned impressively after a 1-0 win against Finland and a 2-1 draw against Belgium, in the lead with a well-placed shot into the Kreuzeck (38th). After the break, Yussuf Poulsen increased to 2-0 (59th) after a major blackout by the Russians, before Artyom Dzjuba scored the next goal from a hard penalty (70th). Andreas Christensen and Joakim Maehle (82nd) ​​made the gala appearance of the Danes perfect.

While Belgium made it to the round of 16 thanks to a 2-0 in a parallel game against Finland with a maximum of nine points, Denmark three points were enough to secure a fixed ticket for the knockout round ahead of the same-point Finns and bottom Russia. Opponent in the round of 16 is on Saturday (6 p.m., live on ORF1) in the Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam Wales. Belgium will face one of the top four group thirds in Seville on Sunday (9 p.m.).

Maehle netted counterattack to 1: 4 (82nd minute)

Tschertschessow can draw on unlimited resources

Russia coach Tschertschessow was able to draw something surprisingly from the full. One of them was Mario Fernandes, who fell on his back after an aerial duel against Finland and ended up in the hospital. But he was just as fit as defender Fyodor Kudriaschow, who replaced Dmitri Barinov and came to his first European Championship. Attacking the trio Djuba, Alexander Golowin and Alexej Mirantschuk should cause unrest.

Denmark stayed true to their line and played in the same 3-4-3 formation as in the 1: 2 against Belgium. Coach Hjulmand saw no reason for changes, especially since the 1992 European champions still firmly believed in promotion despite two defeats. The team drew strength and confidence not only from the many comforting and encouraging words after the tragic incidents involving Inter-Milan star Christian Eriksen in the 1-0 win against Finland, but above all from the support of the 25,000 spectators.

Game is only slowly picking up speed

With the fans behind them, it didn’t take long before the Danes grabbed hold of the book. At first, the Russians tried to prevent the world number tenth from building up the game with aggressive forechecking, but soon withdrew into their own half. However, “Danish Dynamite” could not do much with the space. The ball ran quite nicely through their own ranks, but it was not dangerous either in front of the Russian case or the Danish with the occasional counterattack of the “Sbornaja”, who as second in the group did not even have to venture out of their cover and therefore waited once.

The guests from Russia, who waited for the Danes to make mistakes, were responsible for the first warning shots. After Jannik Vestergaard lost the ball on the center support, Golowin grabbed the ball, sprinted over half the field and fired from almost ten meters. His shot fell too central, which is why Kasper Schmeichel was able to clear with his legs in the goal of the Danes (18th). Shortly afterwards, Djuba tried a shot from the edge of the penalty area, but pulled away clearly (20th).

Damsgaard hits the right cross corner

The Danes were now warned, but still had to take a calculated risk if they wanted to keep the chance of the round of 16. However, since the Russian defensive mostly retained air sovereignty on flanks, captain Simon Kjaer and Co. tried it more and more from a distance. First, Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg took a heart and pulled from almost twenty meters, but his shot went past the left post (29th). But ten minutes later the time had come. This time Damsgaard tried his hand at the edge of the penalty area and hit the right cross corner. Goalkeeper Matvej Safonow was powerless when the 20-year-old shot (38th).

The balance of power in Group B had suddenly changed completely. Since no goal had been scored in the parallel game in St. Petersburg between Finland and leaders Belgium, Russia slipped back to last place and was eliminated. Denmark could still hope to make it to the round of 16 as third. Finland had its ticket for the knockout round in second place behind fixed climbers Belgium at halftime.

Denmark takes calculated risk

Russia therefore tried to do a little more for the offensive right after the break. Denmark stood safe, however, and left hardly any gaps for quick counterattacks. However, the selection of Hjulmand knew that every further hit would increase the chances of a better placement in the group third rankings. At the same time, a goal by the Russians could have destroyed the dream of the round of 16. An attempt by defender Daniel Wass was too unplaced (54th), a shot by Poulsen was blocked (57th).

Yussuf Poulsen (DEN)

Reuters/Friedmann Vogel

Poulsen took advantage of a blackout by the Russians and finally set the course for victory

With the active help of the Russian back team, the Danes were able to look forward to the second goal. Russia wanted to play out from behind in a controlled manner after a goal kick, but Roman Sobnin overlooked Poulsen, who was lurking at the penalty area, with a back pass to goalie Safonov. The offensive star from RB Leipzig grabbed the ball and pushed it safely and easily into the 2-0 lead (59th). When misinformation spread in the stands about the alleged 1-0 win by the Belgians against Finland and the associated jump to second place, the fans were overjoyed.

Djuba gives Russians hope again

The high spirits in the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen received two dampers in quick succession. While the cheers over the Belgian opening goal turned out to be premature, Alexander Sobolew fell over in the penalty area in a duel with Vestergaard and thus took a questionable penalty. Dsyuba didn’t care and cut the short cut to 1: 2 for the Russians, who now drew courage again (70th).

Dzyuba converts penalty to 1: 2 (70th minute)

Cheers broke out again in Copenhagen when the next message from St. Peterburg of 1-0 for Belgium came in. And this time the goal was given, which meant that Denmark climbed to second place and was firmly in the round of 16, in the Parken Stadium all dams broke not only in the stands. In the 79th minute, Christensen set the end point after a triple chance and set off at full speed to make it 3-1. Maehle sank the next shot from the edge of the penalty area to 4-1 in the net for just three minutes.

European Football Championship, Group C, third matchday

Russia – Denmark 1: 4 (0: 1)

Copenhagen, Parken Stadium, 25,000 spectators, SR Turpin (FRA)

Result sequence:
0: 1 Damsgaard (38th)
0:2 Poulsen (59.)
1: 2 Dsjuba (70./Elfmeter)
1:3 Christensen (79.)
1: 4 Maehlev (82nd)

Russia: Safonow – Fernandes, Diweew, Dschikia, Kudriaschow (67. Karawajew), Kusjajew (67. Muchin) – Osdojew (61. Schemaletdinow), Sobnin – Mirantschuk (61. Sobolew), Dsjuba, Golowin

Denmark: Schmeichel – Christensen, Kjaer, Vestergaard – Wass (60. Stryger Larsen), Höjbjerg, Delaney (76. Jensen), Maehle – Braithwaite (85. Cornelius), Poulsen (60. Dolberg), Damsgaard (72. Norgaard)

Yellow cards: Kudriaschow, Diweew or Delaney

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