Denmark 1 Belgium 2. Group C. 17th June 2021

Belgium beat Denmark 2-1 at the Parken Stadium, Copenhagen today in the European Championship 2020 match.

Denmark scored after two minutes from a well taken finish from Yussuf Poulsen. Denmark took the game to Belgium with a very good first half full of pace and intensity, restricting Belgium to no shots on goal in the first half. Play stopped for the tenth minute, to applaud Christian Eriksen. Denmark had eight shots on goal in the first half, three on target.

Belgium made the match winning substitution at half time with Kevin De Bruyne coming in for Dries Mertens.

Belgium equalised after 56 minutes with Kevin De Bruyne setting up Thorgan Hazard for a shot from six yards out. Romelu Lukaku made a great dribble of pure pace and power, then set up De Bruyne who tied up Hazard for the goal.

Damsgaard of Denmark got booked, falling down in the penalty are trying to get a penalty. Belgium took the lead on the 72nd minute with a move involving Witsel, Lukaku and the Hazard brothers, finished off by a sweet strike from De Bruyne.

Denmark huffed and puffed for the rest of the match, but couldn’t that equaliser. Martin Braitwaite hit the crossbar from a header in the 87th minute. Denmark had some half chances after that, but no equaliser.

Belgium taking their chances and superior strength in depth won the match for them.

Belgium have shown themselves to be vulnerable to a team with real speed, later in this tournament with an old and slow backline.

Team line ups.

Denmark

4-3-3

Kasper Schmeichel.

Andreas Christensen, Simon Kjaer, Jannik Vestergaard, Joakim Maehle.

Daniel Wass, Pierre Hoejbjerg, Thomas Delaney.

Yussuf Poulsen, Mikkel Damsgaard, Martin Braitwaite.

Substitutions:

Jens Stryger Larsen for Wass 62nd minute, Christian Norgaard for Poulsen 62nd minute, Andreas Cornelius for Damsgaard 72nd minute, Mathias Jensen for Delaney 72nd minute, Andreas Olsen for Vestergaard 84th minute.

Belgium.

3-4-3.

Thibaut Courtois.

Toby Alderweireld, Jason Denayer, Jan Vertonghen.

Thomas Meunier, Leander Dendoncker, Youri Tielemans, Thorgan Hazard.

Dries Mertens, Romelu Lukaku, Yannick Carrasco.

Substitutions.

Kevin De Bruyne for Mertens Half time, Axel Witsel for Dendoncker 59th minute, Edin Hazard for Carrasco, Thomas Vermaelen for T. Hazard 95th minute.