Fairytale for Denmark as rout of Russia puts them in last 16

Wednesday, 23 June 2021 00:55 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Denmark's Andreas Christensen scores their third goal Pool - Reuters

COPENHAGEN (Reuters): 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 head-spinning night in Copenhagen on Monday.

Nine days after Denmark’s talisman Christian Eriksen needed life-saving treatment after suffering a cardiac arrest in front of a stunned Parken Stadium crowd, his team mates duly delivered on their promise to “do it for Christian”.

Needing victory to have any chance of making progressafter losing to Finland and Belgium, it was Eriksen’s replacement Mikkel Damsgaard who lit the touchpaper with a 38th-minute wonder goal, the first act on a night of high drama.

Denmark, Finland and Russia all finished Group B on three points, behind Belgium, but the Danes edged through on goal difference and can now look forward to taking on Wales in Amsterdam while Russia are going home.

They are the first team in the history of the Euros to reach the knockout stage after losing their first two games but it took a while for the message to get through to Denmark’s players, who huddled together in the centre circle around a phone for confirmation of Belgium’s win over the Finns.