Denmark superior to the knockout part of Euro 2024 because of a 0-0 draw with Serbia in Munich.
They completed second behind England, who drew 0-0 with Slovenia within the evening’s different match in Group C, by the narrowest of margins. Denmark and Slovenia had fully an identical information from the three group video games (together with the identical variety of yellow playing cards obtained), however the Danes get the runners-up spot as a result of having the upper place within the European Qualifiers rankings.
Kasper Hjulmand’s aspect have performed three and drawn three in Germany, they usually proceed to fail to get probably the most out of a number of the expertise in that squad, significantly Manchester United ahead Rasmus Hojlund, who was subbed off halfway via the second half.
Denmark will now face match hosts Germany within the spherical of 16 in Dortmund on Saturday evening. England, in the meantime, will play one of many third-placed groups from Group D, E or F the next afternoon. Slovenia will advance to the knockout part as one of many 4 greatest third-placed groups.
Peter Rutzler, Seb Stafford-Bloor and Jacob Whitehead analyse the sport in Munich…
Denmark ought to play to Hojlund’s strengths
Inside this squad, there isn’t any query that Rasmus Hojlund is each Denmark’s brightest attacking expertise and their most compelling prospect.
That ignores the actual fact, nevertheless, that he’s not fairly able to assume the quantity of duty he’s given on the high of the pitch. Towards Serbia, Kasper Hjulmand performed Hojlund alongside Jonas Wind, a plan that defeated itself when Wind bought himself booked within the first half and needed to be withdrawn on the break.
From then on, Hojlund regarded horribly remoted, starved of passes into house or past the defensive position that will have allowed his acceleration to change into an element, and unable to carry the ball up properly sufficient to permit Denmark to assemble strikes round him. At occasions, when the Danes gained possession in their very own half, Hojlund was 30, typically even 40, yards away from his nearest team-mate.
When he was substituted after 58 minutes, it was totally the fitting choice, and but that felt like a results of the failure to create the fitting circumstances for him to have an effect, quite than any technical or tactical failing on his half. Given the best way his aspect performed and their reluctance to play shortly or with numbers pushing ahead, his restricted impact was extremely predictable.
At age 21, Hojlund remains to be studying and his ahead play should be broadened out in time, however Denmark have already got a dynamic attacking participant whom they appear reluctant to make use of in the fitting method.
Seb Stafford-Bloor
Welcome to the worst group at Euro 2024
England have shouldered a good bit of warmth throughout this match for his or her sluggish soccer and underwhelming begin.
However they don’t stand alone. Certainly, their three rivals in Group C have all performed their half.
Welcome to the worst group at this European Championship.
Remarkably, after its six aggressive matches, there was just one win — the fewest of any group within the competitors. That win was England’s 1-0 opening triumph in opposition to Serbia, a real Jekyll and Hyde show that a minimum of bought pulses racing (maybe for nervousness as a lot as pleasure, thoughts).
Not solely that, although. There have additionally been solely seven targets scored within the six video games. Once more, that’s the fewest of any group within the match to this point — and in addition the joint-fewest in a European Championship group ever (together with Group C at Euro 2016).
It’s a dismal return.
For Serbia, that goalscoring return ought to be significantly disappointing. For a crew possessing Aleksandar Mitrovic, Dusan Vlahovic and Luka Jovic in assault, you’d anticipate a greater return. Denmark too, with Rasmus Hojlund main the road and Christian Eriksen offering the service, ought to do higher.
Neither of those groups have thrilled crowds on the match, with Slovenia, the plucky underdogs of the group, a minimum of managing to trigger difficulties for all three of their superior opponents. England? Nicely, their type wants no point out right here.
This 0-0, accompanied by an identical consequence between England and Slovenia, has tripled the variety of goalless attracts at these Euros. In reality, there was most likely no higher method for this group to finish.
Peter Rutzler
Djokovic’s restoration takes him to Munich
Jannik Sinner is likely to be world No 1 and Carlos Alcaraz may need dethroned him at Roland Garros and Wimbledon — however Novak Djokovic remains to be the largest star in males’s tennis.
Are there some other gamers who might make nearly a complete worldwide soccer crew cease their warm-up and watch his good luck message?
Djokovic was at Munich’s Allianz Enviornment to help his countrymen in opposition to Denmark, a powerful commute contemplating he has been coaching in London over current days. The Serbian participant is racing to regain health in time for Wimbledon, which begins on Monday, after struggling a knee damage in the course of the French Open final month. The situation of his knee? Unclear. However he moved easily sufficient in his cream chinos.
He watched warm-ups from pitchside earlier than transferring up right into a hospitality space for the nationwide anthems, sporting an official match shirt with ‘Srbija’ and the quantity 13 on it. The Pink Star Belgrade fan has beforehand described his footballing heroes as together with ex-Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, whom he counts as a “pricey buddy” and former Fiorentina and Argentina striker Gabriel Batistuta.
Djokovic has nearly as many Grand Slam trophies on his personal (24) as Denmark’s beginning XI in opposition to Serbia have trophies between them (30).
Jacob Whitehead
Stojkovic constantly bought his crew selections improper
Dragan Stojkovic has not been a contented man throughout this match. He has tweaked his Serbia crew for every match of this group part, and did so once more versus Denmark. He opted for extra midfielders — 4 centrally-minded ones, in reality, with Dusan Vlahovic and Dusan Tadic dropping out of the crew.
That was an enormous name. Unsurprisingly, it didn’t work. For the third recreation in a row, Serbia had been limp within the first half. They mustered one shot on objective. So, Stojkovic rolled the cube once more. He made two half-time substitutions — throwing on one of many two gamers he had unnoticed, Tadic, plus Luka Jovic.
Vlahovic then joined the fray halfway via the second half. Each he and Tadic had an affect, however that is the third recreation in a row the place Stojkovic has needed to rectify issues on the break. In complete, he has made 4 half-time modifications within the three matches. Sadly for him, that’s 4 occasions greater than the variety of targets his crew have scored.
Serbia have lacked any actual fluency and once more, a gifted group have underperformed. They may look again at their Euro 2024 with remorse, significantly as they’ve nonetheless not progressed previous the group part of a serious match.
For a era of expertise underpinned by Below-20 World Cup winners in 2015, this can be a disappointment.
Peter Rutzler
Do groups within the final 16 have something to concern from Denmark?
If Kasper Hjulmand’s aspect play the best way they did in opposition to England — then sure. Their centre-backs are among the many greatest group on the match, and if both Christian Eriksen or Rasmus Hojlund hit type then they need to rating targets. Theirs is a technical midfield that is aware of tips on how to win dogfights, whereas they confirmed actual creativity from set-pieces.
However with all that stated, they’ve solely drawn their three video games. There was a scarcity of leading edge — scoring two targets and failing to actually dominate the opposition for any sustained time period. Hjulmand has been underneath stress for establishing his crew too conservatively — there are parallels right here with England.
A part of the difficulty is that their attacking energy in depth is comparatively weak — there are comparatively few methods for him to vary the sport if the preliminary setup doesn’t work. After making two substitutions early within the second half in opposition to Serbia, altering each strikers, Denmark bought worse.
The identical challenge applies at wing-back, the place Joakim Maehle’s passing is crisp, however the place he now lacks the uncooked tempo to actually hassle elite defences.
The true battle of their spherical of 16 tie will likely be whether or not Germany’s interchangeable assault can break down their strong again 5. Denmark is not going to win a high-scoring recreation — however carry sufficient menace from both set items or a magical Eriksen second to make life awkward.
Jacob Whitehead
What did Kasper Hjulmand say?
“It was a troublesome, emotional combat, and we knew that will be the case. It could have been good to attain a objective so we had a buffer, and we had our hearts in our throats. I feel we ought to be completely happy to be via. The primary objective has been reached. There are such a lot of issues concerning the recreation that I’m completely happy about. There are one or two issues we are able to change in assault, however I do know we are able to do this. We have now the standard. We have now so many gamers we are able to use there. We will create extra conditions the place we’re harmful.
“We have now to be completely happy. We bought via the group stage, so let’s simply be very completely happy about this. We’re representing Danish soccer, the 1000’s of volunteers at totally different golf equipment who do an awesome job. We’re everybody’s crew (within the nation), and we’ve got to be completely happy about it.”
What did Dragan Stojkovic say?
“We’re disillusioned that we didn’t take the step we had been lacking. The sport was even, we had been searching for an opportunity and a objective, however sadly we didn’t succeed. I’m happy with my boys. Serbia confirmed themselves positively in a really even group.”
(High photograph: Carl Recine/Getty Photographs)