The big favorite for Euro 2024 will be there for the quarter-finals. Germany dominated Denmark (2-0) on Saturday at Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund, after a pleasant and very lively match. Valorous, the Danes lacked realism in front of goal to hope to qualify.
Germany logically beat Denmark (2-0), Saturday June 29, at Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund, in the round of 16 of Euro 2024.
The host country, which had not progressed beyond the round of 16 of a major tournament since Euro 2016, displayed great offensive intentions throughout the game against the Danes who did not deserve it.
And as in the first 8th final between Switzerland and Italy, won a little earlier by the Nati, the game had started without the traditional observation round with the Germans immediately setting off to attack the Danish surface.
The Mannschaft also thought they had opened the scoring in the 4th minute, thanks to a furious header from Nico Schlotterbeck following a corner on the left, but the VAR quickly calmed their enthusiasm by canceling the goal for a foul by Joshua Kimmich on Andreas Skov Olsen.
As if to make up for it, Joshua Kimmich, well placed 20 metres out, 2 minutes later challenged the Danish goalkeeper by sending a ground-to-air missile deflected with his fist into a corner. Kicked by Toni Kroos, Nico Schlotterbeck once again worried the Danes with his head, but Kasper Schmeichel was on guard and deflected it into a corner.
In the 10th minute, the very mobile Kaï Havertz distinguished himself on the left side, slipping past two Danish defenders and volleying home a great pass from Antonio Rüdiger, but the ever-vigilant Kasper Schmeichel turned it into a corner. On the corner, Robert Andrich jumped higher than everyone else and headed the ball home, but the ball ended up in the arms of the Danish goalkeeper.
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The Danes only got their heads above water after the quarter of an hour of play and managed to get the ball into the German camp. In the 21st minute, following a long sequence of possession, Christian Eriksen showed his technique by controlling a good ball at the edge of the area but his blocked shot ended up for a corner.
Match interrupted due to violent thunderstorms
After a thunderous start, the debates are balanced with the Scandinavians less and less timid by the fury of Julian Nagelsmann’s players. In the 31st minute, they received a very interesting free kick, full axis, at 18 meters, following a foul by Robert Andrich on Joakim Maehle. But Christian Eriksen sends the ball directly into the German wall, Pierre-Émile Höjbjerg recovers on the right and crosses in front of the goal without finding a taker.
In the 35th minute, the referee of the game, the Englishman Michael Oliver, temporarily interrupted the match and sent the protagonists to the locker rooms due to the weather conditions and violent storms crossing the Ruhr. A prospect anticipated and planned by the organizers to protect the players and supporters present in the surrounding area from the deluge.
Players leave the field after the match was interrupted due to violent thunderstorms during the Euro 2024 round of 16, played in Dortmund, June 29, 2024. © Martin Meissner, AP
After a break of around twenty minutes, the players returned to the pitch with the same intentions. And we don’t have to wait long before seeing Germany threaten the Danish goal again with Nico Schlotterbeck, again, who heads a bell ball in the 37th minute that Kasper Schmeichel, in a great evening, pushes away in extremis.
Denmark responded in the 42nd minute with young Rasmus Hjolund delighted to recover a ball on the right side, near the six-yard box, after a mix-up by Nico Schlotterbeck, but his shot ended up in Manuel Neuer’s side netting.
The German goalkeeper saved his team three minutes later by coming out at full speed at the feet of the same Danish striker, ideally served by Thomas Delaney following an almost perfect supersonic counterattack.
Emotional lift for the Mannschaft
In the second half, the match quickly took a dramatic turn, starting with a goal scored in the 48th minute by Danish defender Joachim Andersen, quickly disallowed for a very slight offside position signalled by the VAR.
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Less than a minute later, the referee of the match is again called by the VAR to report a handball by the same Joachim Andersen in his own area! Michael Oliver does not hesitate: penalty!
Kaï Havertz did not need to be asked and carried out the sentence (53rd) by crossing his shot from the left to beat Kasper Schmeichel, who had started on the right side.
The Arsenal striker even had the chance to double the lead in the 59th minute, following a lightning attack relayed by David Raum, but his cross shot went to the right of the Danish goal.
Brilliantly served behind by Kaï Havertz, Leroy Sané, quite transparent until now, finds himself alone in front of goal, but the Munich player misses the match point. Kaï Havertz was finally flagged offside (64th).
Once again called upon by Rasmus Hojlund, found at the heart of the German defense, Manuel Neuer seizes the ball in two stages (66th).
This new warning is taken very seriously by the Mannschaft. The Germans accelerate again and double the lead in the 68th minute thanks to the essential Jamal Musiala, launched by Nico Schlotterbeck on the left side, who adjusts a cross shot with the inside of his right foot to deceive a Kasper Schmeichel abandoned by his defenders.
Denmark is stunned. Despite timid attempts to approach Manuel Neuer’s goal, Kasper Hjulmand’s players failed to put pressure on their opponents while a miracle was now needed to overthrow the Mannschaft.
After having perfectly managed the last minutes of the game, Germany, more than ever favorite of the tournament, continues its journey and will meet Spain or Georgia in the quarterfinals, on July 5, in Stuttgart.
