Schmeichel’s Euro hopes left in balance after Belgium loss
SUBSTITUTE DE BRUYNE INSPIRES COMEBACK WIN OVER DENMARK
YOURI Tielemans helped Belgium reach the knockout stages of Euro 2020 with a 2-1 win yesterday that left Kasper Schmeichel and Denmark clinging on to their place in the competition.
The Leicester City duo went headto-head in Copenhagen in an emotional match following the cardiac arrest of Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen on Saturday.
Feeding off that emotion, which included a round of applause from the players, officials, and fans in the 10th minute, Denmark flew out of the traps and dominated the first half, taking the lead after just 90 seconds.
But after the break, Belgium manager Roberto Martinez brought on his fit-again big hitters in Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard, and the match swung on its head, with Eden’s younger brother Thorgan scoring the first before De Bruyne himself grabbed the winner.
After their win over Russia at the weekend, Belgium are now secure of a place in the last 16, becoming the second side to get there after Italy.
But a second straight win at the tournament looked some way off with their first half performance, with Denmark well on top.
Just a minute-and-a-half into the match, Belgium centre-back Jason Denayer played a poor ball out from the back as he attempted to find Tielemans, and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg
was able to intercept. Denayer then made his second mistake in rushing out, giving Yussuf Poulsen space inside the box, the striker
finding the bottom corner of the net. Belgium looked a shadow of the side that had strolled to a 3-0 win over Russia, with Denmark’s pressing quickly snuffing out any attacks they tried to muster. Tielemans’ ambitious balls to send Romelu
Lukaku away were picked off, meaning Schmeichel was untested in the Denmark goal.
At the break, Martinez introduced De Bruyne, back in action after fracturing his eye socket and nose in the Champions League final. And the Manchester City man made the difference.
First, he collected Lukaku’s pass then shaped to shoot, only to drop the shoulder, put two Denmark defenders on the deck, and roll the ball across the face of goal for Thorgan Hazard to tap in.
Then a sumptuous earned the winner, Lukaku beating multiple men before Tielemans served the ball into the middle, the Hazard brothers exchanging quick passes to set up De Bruyne to hammer left footed into the bottom corner.
It was at Schmeichel’s near post, but it was a cleanly struck, quicklytaken effort that left him unable to get down and across fast enough.
Martin Braithwaite hit the bar with a header late on for Denmark, with Schmeichel joining the attack and throwing himself at a free-kick as the desperate Danes tried to find an equaliser, but it was not to be.
They now have to beat Russia in their final game and hope other results go their way to qualify in second place, or as one of the best-performing third-placed sides.
Belgium, who had City midfielder Dennis Praet on the bench, face Finland in their final game with their last-16 spot already certain.