COPENHAGEN/ BUCHAREST – Denmark and Austria secure progression to the knockout stages of the Euro 2020 championship behind group winners Belgium and Holland.
While wins for Austria and Denmark guaranteed their place in the last 16, there was good news for several other nations, including England, with Monday night’s results.
With both Ukraine and Finland finishing third in their respective groups on three points, it means every nation currently sitting on four points is guaranteed to reach the second round as, a bare minimum, one of the best fourth-placed teams.
Finland’s goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky fails to save the ball as Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku scores his side’s second goal during the Euro 2020 group B match.
It meant England, Switzerland, France, Sweden and the Czech Republic all went through without kicking a ball.
Denmark beats Russia 4-1
After scoring a goal to help Denmark advance at the European Championship, Joakim Maehle walked straight to a TV camera and formed a “10” with his fingers. That was for Christian Eriksen, AP reported.
Maehle’s 82nd-minute goal put some extra gloss on a 4-1 win over Russia on Monday that gave Denmark second place in Group B and an automatic spot in the round of 16.
Denmark’s Simon Kjaer, right, celebrates victory after the Euro 2020 group B match against Russia.
After Eriksen´s collapse in the first game and two subsequent losses at home, Denmark finally was able to celebrate in front of their raucous and jubilant supporters at Parken Stadium.
Denmark, Russia and Finland all finished with three points but the Danes had the better goal difference. Belgium won the group with nine points after beating Finland 2-0.
Now a meeting with Wales await for Denmark in Amsterdam on Saturday. And a tournament that so nearly began with a tragedy could still turn into a triumph.
Belgium defeats Finland 2-0
Three straight wins, seven goals and its top players with game time in their legs. For Belgium, the group stage at the European Championship could hardly have gone better.
The world´s top-ranked team beat Finland 2-0 Monday to finish in first place in Group B and join Italy and the Netherlands in qualifying with maximum points.
Finland finished in third place in its first appearance at a major tournament, nipped by Denmark after its 4-1 victory over Russia in Copenhagen.
Belgium’s second goal, scored by Romelu Lukaku in the 81st minute for his third at Euro 2020, could prove significant because it left the Finns as the worst third-place team in the three completed groups. They have only a small chance of qualifying as one of four best third-place finishers.
Belgium will play one of the four third-place finishers in the round of 16 in Sevilla on Sunday, with coach Roberto Martinez having more options after seeing Kevin De Bruyne, Eden Hazard and Axel Witsel – three key players – proving their fitness after recent injuries.
Austria stuns Ukraine 1-0
A chaotic 15-minute span for Christoph Baumgartner gave Austria the win they wanted and the advancement they craved.
The midfielder was involved in a clash of heads early in the first half, then scored the only goal in Austria´s 1-0 victory over Ukraine at the European Championship Monday.
Baumgartner jumped to clear a corner in the 17th minute but was knocked to the ground after colliding head-to-head with Illia Zabarnyi. He was given medical attention and was cleared to continue playing.
Four minutes later, he knocked in a corner from Austria captain David Alaba on the other end to give his team a lead it was to carry to the final whistle.
Baumgartner didn’t make it that far, however. He was replaced in the 32nd minute, walking off the field while holding his head.
A 3-1 victory over North Macedonia in the opening group match was the team´s first victory at a major tournament in 31 years. Despite a 2-0 loss to the Netherlands, the Austrians finished in second place in Group C behind the Dutch and will next play against Italy in London on Saturday.
Austria’s goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann, center, protests during the Euro 2020 championship group C match against Ukraine in Bucharest.
Netherlands beat N. Macedonia 3-0
Memphis Depay scored one, he set up Georginio Wijnaldum for the next two, and the Netherlands made it three out of three.
The Dutch team completed the group stage at the European Championship with a 3-0 victory over North Macedonia Monday, the second team at the tournament after Italy to win all three of its opening matches.
Memphis, who signed for Barcelona on Saturday, scored the first goal after a slick counterattack in the 24th minute. He then passed to Wijnaldum for a tap-in goal in the 51st, and seven minutes later goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski saved a shot from Memphis that Wijnaldum put into the roof of the net off the rebound.
Free from worrying about completing his move from Lyon to Barcelona, Memphis could concentrate on the match in front of him.
North Macedonia’s Goran Pandev leaves the pitch while applauded by teammates during the Euro 2020 group C match against The Netherlands.
The Netherlands now has to wait to see which team it will face in the round of 16 on Sunday in Budapest. As Group C winner, the team will line up against the third-place finisher in either Group D, E or F.
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