PETERSBURG/ COPENHAGEN – Joel Pohjanpalo scored and Lukas Hradecky saved a penalty to give Finland a 1-0 victory over Denmark in a European Championship game overshadowed by Christian Eriksen´s collapse on the field.
Romelu Lukaku struck twice as Belgium confirmed their status as one of the favourites for Euro 2020 with a confident 3-0 win over Russia.
Finland’s game was suspended for about 90 minutes after Eriksen needed urgent medical treatment near the end of the first half before being taken to a hospital. The Danish soccer federation said Eriksen was awake and in stable condition.
“Of course you can´t play a game with such feelings,” Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand said according to AP. “What we tried to do was incredible. It´s incredible that the players managed to go out and try to play the second half and still be dominant. I´m very affected myself.”
When play resumed, Pohjanpalo put Finland ahead against the run of play in the 60th minute when he rose above Joakim Maehle to head home a cross from Jere Uronen. Goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel got his hands on the ball but couldn´t keep it out.
It was Finland’s only effort on goal in the entire game as Denmark dominated throughout and finished with 23 total shots, although only six were on target.
The Danes’ best chance came when they were handed a penalty after Yussuf Poulsen went down under a challenge from Paulus Arajuuri. But Hradecky dived to his left to stop a tame effort from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in the 74th.
Finland was making its debut at a major tournament but what should have been the biggest win in the country’s soccer history was completely overshadowed by Eriksen’s medical emergency.
“It´s been definitely one of the most difficult games of my career,” Finland forward Teemu Pukki said.
“We decided to do what the Danish team decided to do. It wasn´t easy to come back to the pitch. But once we heard everything seemed to be fine we started concentrating again on the game. And in the end we are proud of the victory. But the atmosphere after the game is definitely not as glorious as usual.”
Eriksen was given urgent medical attention on the field for about 10 minutes before he was carried off on a stretcher. The teams held an emergency meeting and decided to continue the match after it became clear that Eriksen was in stable condition.
Belgium beats Russia
Elsewhere, top-ranked Belgium defeated Russia 3-0 in the other Group B match at Euro 2020.
Lukaku had taken the field in Belgium´s 3-0 win over Russia on Saturday only a short time after seeing Eriksen, his teammate at Italian champion Inter Milan, fall to the ground and require urgent medical attention during Denmark´s game against Finland in Copenhagen.
Lukaku was watching the match with the rest of the Belgium squad. He said he cried.
“I was scared, obviously,” he said. “You live strong moments together. I spent more time with him than with my family.”
Lukaku said it had been “difficult to play because my mind was with” Eriksen.
“I hope he is healthy,” he added, “and I dedicate this performance to him.”
The former Manchester United striker didn´t just stop at one goal against Russia. By slotting home a second in the 88th minute, Lukaku made it 62 goals in 93 international appearances and wrapped up a comfortable victory that validated top-ranked Belgium´s status as one of the favorites at Euro 2020.
It was all the more impressive given the Belgians were without playmaker Kevin De Bruyne, who wasn´t deemed ready after a minor operation on a fractured nose and eye socket, and with captain Eden Hazard only playing the final 19 minutes as a substitute.
Belgium also had to deal with the withdrawal of right wing back Timothy Castagne in the 26th minute after he clashed heads with Russia midfielder Daler Kuzyaev. Belgium coach Roberto Martinez said Castagne had sustained a double fracture of his eye socket and has been ruled out of the rest of the tournament.
Castagne´s replacement, Thomas Meunier, scored Belgium´s second goal in the 34th minute.
“We looked like a team that was very concentrated for 90 minutes,” Martinez said. “The win will allow us to grow into the tournament as a team.”
While the win was hardly unexpected – Russia lost to Belgium home and away in qualifying – the ease with which the Belgians swept aside the home team was surprising.
Up to Lukaku’s opening goal in the 10th minute, it had been a celebratory atmosphere among the heavily pro-Russian crowd of 26,264 spectators. Aside, that is, from just before kickoff when there were loud jeers around the stadium as Belgium´s players took a knee.
Music was played while the gesture against racism was taking place, but the boos were still audible.
Lacking his ideal supporting cast, Lukaku still managed to score in each half, though he was given a helping hand by Russia’s defense.
Andrei Semenov was at fault for the first goal, miskicking while attempting to clear a cross from the right. The ball fell loose in the area and Lukaku pounced, finding the corner with a low finish.
