In a match marked by an interruption due to a spectacular storm, Germany ended up undermining Denmark’s resistance to logically win and advance to the quarterfinals. It wasn’t always convincing, but the better team won.
Well off to a good start in its Euro,Germany had trembled during the last group match, narrowly snatching a draw against Switzerland to maintain their first place. Which offered the organizing country a more than affordable round of 16 against a team from Denmark quite disappointing since the start of the competition. There remained the glorious uncertainty of sport.
An uncertainty that almost got swept away pretty quickly. The Germans settled into the opposing camp right away, and struck from the first corner, but the goal from a header by Nico Schlotterbeck is disallowed for a foul (4th). But the locals do not release their grip, Joshua Kimmich Then Schlotterbeck forcing Casper Schmeichel to high-class parades, the Danish doorman then releasing a beautiful volley of Kai Havertz (11e).
Asphyxiated, Denmark was cornered in its 30 meters, and had to wait a good 15 minutes before getting its head above water. The reaction is timid, despite a good attempt to Joakim Maehle (24th) and a free kick into the wall Christian Eriksen at the half-hour mark. The match then lost intensity, with the Germans unable to maintain their early pace. Despite everything, the Danes felt on a knife edge, until an interruption due to a huge storm in the 35th minute.
Buckets of water, hail, no choice but to temporarily return to the locker room. After around twenty minutes of – this time literally – letting the storm pass, the two teams return to the pitch and the situation does not change: Germany takes control again, dominates, but almost gets surprised on a rare counterattack. , And Manuel Neuer comes to save the homeland by winning his face-to-face in front of Rasmus Hojlund just before the break (0-0).
A break which seems to reshuffle the cards for good, since Denmark silences Signal Iduna Park in less than three minutes. A missed clearance, a ball lying around in the area and Joachim Andersen rifle Neuer at point blank range, but VAR comes to save Germany. The reality is cruel for Andersen, who goes from hero to zero on an avoidable hand spotted on video, and Kai Havertz finally delivers his team, quite successful in this sequence (53rd).
5 minutes later, Havertz beats two defenders and is alone in front Schmeichel, but crosses his ball a little too much. However, this time the Germans have the meeting firmly in hand. And will make the break on a two-pass action which sees Jamal Musialathrown behind the back of the defense, come and crucify Schmeichel (68th). A logical scenario in absolute terms, but which gives the Danes a headache.
Especially since the Scandinavians’ attempted counterattack came up against a wall called Manuel Neuer. The German goalkeeper remains focused on sending aEriksen, reigns in the air and reassures a defense sometimes found wanting. Denmark no longer has any trump cards up its sleeve, despite a host of changes, and will logically end up giving up their arms, failing to have been able to exploit their rare highlights. And this while the locals will not succeed, despite numerous attempts, in raising the score, the final goal of Florian Wirtz being logically refused for offside while Schmeichel saved the day against Havertz at the end of added time.
Germany therefore imposes itself 2-0 and qualifies for the quarter-finals. A logical outcome, the organizing country sometimes trembled, could have conceded the opening score, but was much more realistic and assumed its status as favorite. It remains to be seen whether Spain or Georgia will be his opponent. But the Germans seem to have enough assets to go even further.
