A goal from Pierre Emile Højbjerg in the closing stages ended Finland’s resistance and gave Denmark a crucial win, giving them the provisional lead of Group H and taking them closer to Euro 2024. Barça center back Andreas Christensen started in the starting lineup and put in an outstanding performance throughout the game.
In a tight game with few chances, it was Red Dynamite who had the weight and had more merit against a rival that limited itself to staying organized in defense and waiting for a Danish mistake to go on the counterattack. But the few options he had went nowhere. No shot on goal for ninety minutes for the home team.
In a first half that lacked rhythm and brilliance, Denmark at least had one more or less clear chance, a shot on the edge of the Lindstrøm area that Hradecky converted for a corner.
Too slow and unimaginative for the Danes, who haven’t quite found the level from their gray World Cup that they needed two years ago to reach the semi-finals of the European Championship.
Højlund’s half-time march helped to underline Denmark’s dominance without Finland suffering too much. Eriksen almost scored from a free kick, but Hradecky put in another good hand.
Once again the Leverkusen goalkeeper shone with another long-range shot from Nørgaard.
At that time, Denmark only played with three defenders, while Finland hardly left the penalty area.
It seemed as if Denmark would not be able to break the resistance of the Finns, until Højbjerg appeared on the edge of the penalty area with a shot that went wide of the post, a goal worthy of a win and clarifying the situation for the Danes, who would have done it with home wins against Kazakhstan and Slovenia..
