Despair turned to exhilaration for Denmark as they claimed an astonishing 4-1 victory over Russia to scramble into the last 16 of Euro 2020 on a wonderful night in Copenhagen on Monday.
Denmark will face Wales in the Euro 2020 last 16 after clinching second place in Group B.
Needing a victory to have any chance of progression, the Danes took the lead in the 38th minute through a stunning Mikkel Damsgaard strike and Yussuf Poulsen doubled the advantage just before the hour mark as he punished a mistake by Roman Zobnin.
Russia replied with Artem Dzyuba’s 70th-minute penalty before strikes from Andreas Christensen in the 79th minute and Joakim Maehle three minutes later wrapped up victory in front of a delirious crowd at the Parken Stadium.
The result, combined with Belgium’s 2-0 win over Finland, sees Kasper Hjulmand’s Denmark through to take on Wales in Amsterdam on Saturday as Group B runners-up, while Stanislav Cherchesov’s Russia, having started the match lying second in the pool, are out having ended up bottom.
Despair turned to exhilaration for Denmark as they claimed an astonishing 4-1 victory over Russia to scramble into the last 16 of Euro 2020 on a wonderful night in Copenhagen on Monday.
Denmark will face Wales in the Euro 2020 last 16 after clinching second place in Group B.
Needing a victory to have any chance of progression, the Danes took the lead in the 38th minute through a stunning Mikkel Damsgaard strike and Yussuf Poulsen doubled the advantage just before the hour mark as he punished a mistake by Roman Zobnin.
Russia replied with Artem Dzyuba’s 70th-minute penalty before strikes from Andreas Christensen in the 79th minute and Joakim Maehle three minutes later wrapped up victory in front of a delirious crowd at the Parken Stadium.
The result, combined with Belgium’s 2-0 win over Finland, sees Kasper Hjulmand’s Denmark through to take on Wales in Amsterdam on Saturday as Group B runners-up, while Stanislav Cherchesov’s Russia, having started the match lying second in the pool, are out having ended up bottom.
Russia reduced the deficit when Aleksandr Sobolev was fouled by Vestergaard and the resulting spot-kick was struck past Schmeichel by Dzyuba.
But Denmark were soon back on the front foot, and after Matvei Safonov made three saves in quick succession to deny Christensen, Martin Braithwaite and Simon Kjaer, the ball came to Christensen, who cracked it home for 3-1.
Maehle then swiftly added the fourth with a strike from the edge of the box, and made the number 10 – which Eriksen wears on his shirt – with his fingers as he celebrated amid the roar of the Danish fans.