Hosts Germany down unlucky Denmark to progress to EURO 2024 quarter-finals
One of European football’s great cauldrons, the iconic Signal Iduna Park, was bouncing inside four minutes.
Nico Schlotterbeck fired home a towering header from a Toni Kroos cross, but the home crowd’s joy was short-lived, as the officials intervened to disallow the goal for a foul in the build-up.
Denmark goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel was busy in an entirely one-sided opening 20 minutes, keeping out efforts from Joshua Kimmich, Schlotterbeck, Kai Havertz and Robert Andrich as Germany created numerous chances from corners.
Eventually, Kasper Hjulmand’s men established a foothold and started to threaten on the counter, with a Christian Eriksen effort blocked by Antonio Rudiger while Joakim Maehle fired an effort wide of Manuel Neuer’s near post.
A gripping first half was soon interrupted with 10 minutes remaining, as a powerful lightning storm unleashed huge hailstones and left rainwater streaming off the roof of the stadium.
Chances quickly followed after the resumption, with Havertz spurning a glorious chance as his header from six yards was denied by Schmeichel.
At the other end, Rasmus Hojlund was thwarted by an onrushing Manuel Neuer to leave the tie finely poised ahead of the second half. And Denmark were in dreamland inside the opening three minutes after half-time when Joachim Andersen bundled home from close range, but his strike was ruled out after a VAR review for an incredibly marginal offside.
Sensationally, Andersen fell afoul of VAR intervention again just moments later, conceding a penalty after he was adjudged to have handled David Raum’s cross. A rollercoaster sequence got its crescendo as Havertz rolled home from 12 yards, giving Germany a controversial lead with his second strike of the tournament.
Having broken the deadlock, the Arsenal forward produced a beautiful piece of skill to surge through on goal soon afterwards, but he missed the target with a chip that drifted wide of Schmeichel’s goal.
Germany would soon get that killer second goal though, as a sumptuous long pass from Schlotterbeck released Jamal Musiala down the left on the three-quarter mark, and the mercurial 21-year-old showed composure beyond his years to slot into the far corner.
Denmark faded away from there, and Hjulmand’s men have duly seen their winless record at major tournaments reach eight matches. Germany, on the other hand, are unbeaten in their last eight fixtures, and await the winner of Spain vs Georgia in the quarter-finals.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Nico Schlotterbeck (Germany)
