June 29 – This is what knockout football is all about. A pulsating encounter saw hosts Germany battle their into the quarterfinals of Euro 2024 as they overcame not only a Denmark side who gave everything but also a violent first-half monsoon that caused a 20-minute suspension.
Two second-half goals, including a somewhat fortuitous penalty, were enough to see off opponents who displayed their trademark teamwork but simply couldn’t muster enough cutting edge in the final third.
During the club season, the home of Borussia Dortmund is famous for the so-called Yellow Wall. Tonight yellow was replaced by a sea of white .
Germany made three changes, David Raum and Nico Schlotterbeck coming in at fullback for Maximilian Mittelstädt and the suspended Jonathan Tah, while Leroy Sané replaced Florian Wirtz, one of the golden boys of the new revolution, in attack with Nagelsman saying he wanted the former Manchester City man to use his pace.
Denmark made two changes of their own, Andreas Skov Olsen and Thomas Delaney replacing Jonas Wind and the suspended Morten Hjulmand but crucially for the Danes, Christian Eriksen recovered from illness to keep his place in midfield while Rasmus Højlund held on to his shirt, despite not yet finding the net in the group stage.
Every Danish fan of a certain age will remember what happened 32 years ago when their country stunned Germany 2-0 in the final of Euro 92 to become the most unlikely of champions, perhaps with the exception of Greece in 2004.
Not this time even though they certainly made the hosts work for the victory amidst a cauldron of noise on steamy, humid evening.
Denmark boss Kasper Hjulmand had a special reason for doing well at Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion. He was sacked as Mainz manager, after just 24 games in charge, after a 4-2 Bundesliga loss at the very same stadium in February 2015.
The hosts may have been strong favourites but three straight premature exits in major tournaments was very much the elephant in the room. In fact, the Germans hadn’t won a knockout game when it mattered most since Euro 2016.
All of which added extra spice to a special occasion in an equally special stadium.
After the national anthems were belted out with patriotic fervour we were on our way, the German fans bouncing up down from minute one.
Straight on the attack went their team – and scored from the game’s first corner with Schlotterbeck’s thumping header .
Or so they thought, the goal harshly ruled out because of the slightest of infringements by Joshua Kimmich.
Did it deter them? Did it heck. Three smart saves in quick succession by Kasper Schmeichel kept the scores level and it was all Germany in these opening stages. Power, movement, speed as they swarmed all over their opponent.
Denmark’s strength is their togetherness and as we moved past the 20-minute mark, having soaked things up they created their first moment of danger, Eriksen’s shot blocked by Antonio Rudiger.
Suddenly the underdogs picked up steam. Joakim Maehlethrashed hit a fierce drive into the 8,000 Danish fans behind the goal, then a Danish freekick in a dangerous position was cleared by the wall.
As the skies darkened, things started to look distinctly ominous as the wind picked up. Cue several bursts of thunder and lightning and a rainstorm of biblical proportions. The heavens didn’t just open, they split from side to side.
On 35 minutes, one almighty thunder clap right over the stadium shook everyone to the core and referee Michael Oliver did what he had to do – take the players off.
The thunder continued to crash, the lightning continued to flash and the rain hammered down even harder, cascading off the stands in fountains and giving 62,000 fans a soaking.
Then, as quickly as it arrived, the tempest receded and after a 20-minute delay the players were back on the pitch for a brief warm-up before we were back in action.
The hosts resumed as they started, Kai Havertz smacking a header straight at Schmeichel, then Schlotterbeck heading into the side netting.
Yet Denmark had grown into the game and with the first half running out should have broken the deadlock in a swift counter-attack. Germany’s new young superstar Jamal Musiala lost possession in midfield and Thomas Delaney found Hojlund, who saw his attempted chip saved by Manuel Neuer.
It was the last action of a dramatic first half – in more ways than one.
Who would blink first? Two minutes after the interval, the Danes were celebrating when an Eriksen freekick wasn’t cleared properly and was turned in by Joachim Andersen. But this time, it was Denmark’s turn to have a goal chalked off. Offside according to VAR.
Before we could even stop to breathe, the drama continued. Having thought he had put his side ahead, Andersen was adjudged – again by VAR – to have handled a cross into the box. A tiny flick off his fingers perhaps but the letter of the law was upheld and Havertz hit the perfect penalty in the corner beyond Schmeichel’s oustretched arm.
It was intoxicating action and the Arsenal man should have doubled the lead when he burst between two defenders, drew Schmeichel but saw his chip go inches wide.
With Denmark chasing the game, Havertz now turned provider, playing in Sane who somehow dragged his a shot wide left of an unguarded goal.
But in the Germans’ next attack on 67 minutes, they made no mistake. With the Danes pushing forward, a ball up the channels found the ever-willing Masala who ran forward before burying the ball in the corner for 2-0 with a composed finish.
Cruel on Denmark? No one can accuse them of not giving it a go and they will perhaps claim they didn’t get the rub of the green but they struggled once again to find the back of the net.
Unlike the hosts who are going to take some stopping under their highly impressive young head coach. They had late chances to extend the lead but the country won’t mind and they were cheered off at the end by their jubilant fans who seemed to sense this was their time.
The real deal? You bet.
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