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sport">Denmark played a home game in the Johan Cruijff ArenA, which was transformed into a piece of Copenhagen on Saturday evening. The majority of the 16,000 tickets available had ended up in the hands of Danes and only sporadically there was a Welsh flag in the stands. The red and white of the Danes was omnipresent and this was clearly heard when playing the football anthem Vi er røde, Vi er hvide (We are red, we are white) and the Danish national anthem.
sport">The Danish national coach Kasper Hjulmand had already said before the match that the Johan Cruijff ArenA is a special place. „If there is one club that has meant something for Danish football, it is Ajax. They have had a lot of Danish players at Ajax, who have been able to develop very well here. The philosophy in Ajax football is something I have a lot of respect for. I respect Johan Cruijff, one of the best players and coaches in football history. I feel connected to the philosophy they use at Ajax.”
Nice gesture for Eriksen
sport">Christian Eriksen, one of the most prominent Danish players ever employed by Ajax, followed the match from his home in Denmark, but was still a little bit involved in the stadium where he celebrated so many successes. As always with the European Championship matches in the Johan Cruijff ArenA, large jerseys from the two countries were unrolled at the opening ceremony and for the occasion the Danish uniform was decorated with Eriksen’s shirt number and name. A nice gesture.
sport">The on-field CPR that Eriksen had to undergo after a cardiac arrest in the first group match against Finland has had a huge impact on this tournament. The way in which the Danish team dealt with this shocking event and the way in which the Danes have resumed sportingly afterwards, has aroused a lot of sympathy throughout football. After the defeats in the first two group matches, the Danes fought their way back into the tournament.
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Gareth Bale met Simon Kjaer.
Ⓒ ANP/HH
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sport">After the loss of Eriksen, Denmark again suffered a serious sporting loss before the meeting with Wales. Striker Yussuf Poulsen, who had hit the goal against both Belgium and Russia, had to drop out injured and as a result there was a basic place for Kasper Dolberg in the Johan Cruijff ArenA, where he previously wore the colors of Ajax between 2016 and 2019.
sport">The OGC Nice striker seized the opportunity with both hands, was industrious and menacing and after an opening phase in which Wales took the initiative, the Danes came into the game better and Dolberg signed for the opening goal. From just outside the box, he cleverly pegged the ball past goalkeeper Danny Ward of Wales.
sport">Driven by the crowd, the Danes put a lot of energy into the game, with Joakim Maehle’s rushes on the left, the activity of Barcelona striker Martin Braithwaite and the shots from Mikkel Damsgaard creating the most threat. The creative inspirations had to come mainly from Pierre-Emile Højbjerg.
Discharge in the ArenA
sport">But the big man of the evening was Dolberg. Just after the break, the ex-Ajacied was back in the right place to make the 2-0, which caused a great release for the Danes in the Johan Cruijff ArenA. It was for Dolberg, who had only scored six times for OGC Nice in Ligue 1 this season, his first goal for Denmark in a major tournament.
sport">In the final phase, Braithwaite hit the post and Joachim Andersen (ex-FC Twente) shot past the rebound, after which Atalanta Bergamo’s tireless Maehle made it 3-0. The trumped-up Wales ended the game with ten men, because substitute Harry Wilson was shown red for a hard tackle. The final chord then came in the name of Braithwaite.
sport">Due to the convincing victory, the fairytale of the Danes continues for a while. The sequel is the quarterfinals in Baku next Saturday, in which the Orange or the Czech Republic is the opponent. The moment the immensely popular captain Simon Kjaer felt something on his hamstring, he was immediately substituted by Hjulmand, because in tournament football it is crucial to keep your important pawns intact and to use all the qualities within your selection as much as possible. Something that has worked out fantastically with Dolberg in the Johan Cruijff ArenA.
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