FREUDENSTADT, Germany — Denmark will look to invoke the memory of their famous victory over Germany in the Euro 92 final when they take on the same opponents in the last 16 of this year’s tournament, assistant coach Christian Poulsen said.
Denmark has not won at Euro 2024 so far, drawing three games to set up their clash with the hosts who have players like young forward Jamal Musiala in sparkling form.
However, the odds were similarly stacked against Denmark in Gothenburg in 1992 when they shocked then-world champions Germany with a 2-0 win for their first major title and Kasper Hjulmand’s side are eyeing another upset on Saturday.
“It’s a strong team we’re going to face and a little bit like the big country against the little country. But we’re going to go into the battle and, hope we can do the same as we did in 92,” Poulsen said at the team’s base in Freudenstadt according to Reuters.
“I remember 92. I was a child, 12-years-old, but that’s one of the biggest moments in Danish football. And, I think, that was a nice memory. So if we could do that again, that would be amazing,” he added.
Denmark reached the semifinals of the last Euros, losing to England after extra time. This time they have looked a little inhibited; only scoring twice over their three group games.
However, they have been encouraged by Switzerland taking the game to the Germans in their final group match which ended 1-1 after Julian Nagelsmann’s side scored a stoppage time equaliser to rescue a draw.
“We are a very good team, we defend very well and have good attackers who can hurt the Germans, I am sure,” forward Yussuf Poulsen said.
“We have played against each other before and it was an even game. Of course we also saw how Switzerland did it and we see ourselves as a similar team to Switzerland and that was a good game.”
Their last meeting was a 1-1 draw in a friendly back in June 2021.
DENMARK progressed to the knockout stages after a goalless draw with Serbia on Tuesday which allowed them to seal second spot in Group C, ahead of third-place Slovenia on disciplinary record.
The 0-0 stalemate finished with the same scoreline as England and Slovenia’s parallel group match, with England emerging group winners.
With Denmark and Slovenia both finishing on the same points total and goal tally, second place — and a meeting with hosts Germany — was decided on the basis of total yellow cards so far at the tournament.
It is Denmark who edged it and will face Germany in Dortmund, while England will return to Gelsenkirchen for a meeting with a third-placed side.
Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand called the Danes “everyone’s team” and said “we have to be happy.
“We got through the group stage so let’s be very happy about this,” Hjulmand added according to AFP.
Stojkovic said he was “proud” of Serbia’s efforts, adding “we played brave football, we tried our best and sometimes it’s not easy to score.
“If it was easy, games would finish 6-5 — one goal can change everything.”
Luka Jovic’s stoppage-time equaliser against Slovenia at this venue on Thursday had kept Serbian hopes alive of reaching the last-16 in their first Euros as an independent nation.
Having never beaten Denmark, Stojkovic backed his charges to “change history” against the 1992 European champions.
The Danes, semi-finalists at this competition in 2021, knew a draw would be enough to qualify but needed a win while hoping for an England loss to avoid meeting hosts Germany in the last 16.
Despite Stojkovic’s side needing a win to progress, the Danes were more willing to attack early, with the Serbs rarely venturing into Danish territory.
Denmark caught the Serbian defence napping early, Christian Eriksen’s free-kick finding Jonas Wind alone in the box, but the forward shot directly at goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic on the turn.
The Danes’ best phase came after 20 minutes, Eriksen forcing a fingertip save from Rajkovic and then pinning Serbia back with a series of corners.
Eriksen and Wind combined again from a corner to have the ball in the net on the 27-minute mark, but the midfielder’s direct cross had drifted out.
Jovic, brought from the bench at half-time, immediately posed questions of the Danish defence, pressuring Joachim Andersen into an own goal eight minutes in but the flag went up again for offside.
Saturday’s fixtures
Switzerland vs Italy Round of 16
Germany vs Denmark Round of 16
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