Euro 2024: Slovenia frustrates Christian Eriksen’s Denmark

Before England entered the fray, Slovenia and Denmark separated in a draw (1-1) on Sunday in Stuttgart during the third day of Euro 2024, at the end of a pleasant match where the Dane Christian Eriksen shone.

Three years after his heart attack which almost cost him his life during the previous edition, in 2021, Eriksen believed he had perfectly launched his team into the competition with a goal (17th) and a high-flying performance. But Slovenia ended up equalizing in the second half on a deflected half-volley from full-back Erik Janza (77th).

A symbolic goal

Returning to the selection barely a year after this accident which moved the whole world to compete in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the emblematic Danish No. 10 demonstrated throughout the meeting that he had lost none of his magic with the ball at his feet. . Positioned between the Slovenian lines, the 32-year-old playmaker, now playing with a pacemaker, took care of everything: orientations, shifts, set pieces… Before making the thousands of Scandinavian supporters gathered to form roar an impressive red and white turn.

On a touch quickly played by Benfica full-back Alexander Bah, Wolfsburg scorer Jonas Wind, with a subtle pigeon wing deviation, perfectly served Eriksen, author of a chest control sequence – unstoppable right foot tip recovery (17th, 1-0) to open the scoring.

A symbolic goal for the thirty-year-old, who returned to the field in the first months after his operation before gradually returning to the high level in the national team and at club, first at Brentford, then in Manchester.

He came close to the double

Despite regaining influence, he was unable to avoid the early elimination of his team at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar in the group stage, amid controversies concerning the Scandinavian positions regarding respect for human rights in the host country. .

Systematically sought after by his partners on Sunday against a combative but long frustrated Slovenia, Eriksen could have widened the gap on several occasions to reward Danish domination, but he was countered (39th, 42nd) and especially rushed while he had the break ball at the end of his left foot (43rd).

In an action similar to that of the opener, with Wind in the pivot, the ex-Tottenham player attempted a new sequence, from the left this time, which ended up in the small outside net of Slovenian goalkeeper Jan Oblak ( 68th).

Erik Janza punishes the Danes

The Atlético Madrid goalkeeper had just saved his team a few minutes earlier by stopping Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund (65th), while the Slovenians were making multiple attempts to come back into the score but were lacking in efficiency, like No 9 Andraz Sporar.

The Slovenian supporters, who had almost exulted a few seconds before Eriksen’s goal, when the powerful shot from Benjamin Sesko (RB Leipzig) grazed Schmeichel’s post (17th), thought they were cursed when they saw the missile from their No. 11 crashing this time on the upright (76th), before the deliverance came from a half-volley from the left of the full-back Erik Janza deflected by the Danish midfielder Hjulmand (77th, 1-1).

This draw, ultimately rather logical despite the domination of Denmark, crowned in 1992 and a nice surprise of the previous edition by reaching the semi-finals, leaves the way clear for England to take first place in Group C in the event of success. against Serbia (9 p.m.).

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AFP

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