Alan Shearer hails ‘amazing scenes’ as Denmark emotionally celebrate qualifying for the Euro 2020 last 16 stage despite the turmoil of Christian Eriksen’s horrific on-pitch cardiac arrest
Alan Shearer hailed the ‘amazing scenes’ as Denmark secured a dramatic and emotional qualification for the Euro 2020 last 16.
The Danes thrashed Russia 4-1 with stunners from Mikkel Damsgaard and Andreas Christensen bookending Yussuf Poulsen’s tap-in, before Joakim Maehle wrapped up the game and paid a heartwarming tribute to stricken team-mate Christian Eriksen.
And Shearer praised Denmark’s players for how they responded to Eriksen’s horrific injury against Finland on June 12; after losing 1-0 to the Finns, they lost 2-1 to Belgium but demolished Russia in their final group game to progress on goal difference.
Alan Shearer has hailed the ‘amazing scenes’ as Denmark qualified for the Euro 2020 last 16
The Danes thrashed Russia 4-1 in their final Group B fixture to go through on goal difference
He said: ‘They deserve great credit, those players and staff for getting through what they’ve had to, but they’ve come back and rallied well. Well done. Amazing scenes.’
Former Tottenham striker Jurgen Klinsmann added: ‘It’s wonderful to see Denmark celebrating. They went through an extreme roller coaster. That they go through now is fantastic.
‘It can create, on the inside and outside with the fans, an enormous amount of energy and positivity because now you go to the last 16, you didn’t really believe in it anymore but now you want to surprise the world. They did it in (19)92, they weren’t even part of the tournament and they won it.’
The Danes eventually squeezed through on goal difference as they, Finland and Russia all finished on three points in Group B; leading to a situation where Danish players crowded round a mobile phone waiting for confirmation of Finland’s loss.
When the result – and therefore Denmark’s qualification – came through, the group huddled around the device suddenly exploded into joyous, raucous celebration.
Christian Eriksen collapsed on the pitch in their first group game against Finland on June 12
And Shearer praised the side for how they responded to Eriksen’s horrific on-pitch injury
Fans celebrated with unbridled joy as Kasper Hjulmand’s side went through in Copenhagen
Sampdoria winger Damsgaard, 20, who set things off with a wonderful curling effort, revealed what the moment the team they found out they were progressing was like.
He said: ‘It’s so insane that we’ve gone through. This team, these players. It’s great to be a part of it. I have never dreamed of being a part of something so big, so it’s a great feeling.’
Fellow pundit Rio Ferdinand concluded: ‘It’s crazy because when something happens in a squad that really shifts your focus elsewhere it does take a lot.
‘You can imagine what you’ve got to go through to get focused on what the actual target is again, so huge credit to them.
Kasper Hjulmand’s Denmark will face Group A runners-up Wales in Amsterdam on Saturday June 26 in what promises to be a fiery, passionate encounter.