A Kai Havertz penalty and a Jamal Musiala strike on Saturday gave Germany a 2-0 win over Denmark as the host nation reached the UEFA Euro 2024 quarter-finals after a dramatic game that was delayed by almost half an hour in the first half due to a violent storm.
Havertz stroked home from the spot early in the second half in Dortmund, Germany, following a handball by Joachim Andersen, the unlucky Denmark defender who had a goal disallowed at the other end only moments earlier.
Musiala, of Bayern Munich, then ran away to stroke in the second goal midway through the second half, as Germany’s class told in the last-16 tie.
Photo: Reuters
At one point it looked as if the game could be abandoned as English referee Michael Oliver stopped play in the 35th minute and took the teams off the pitch while a violent storm passed overhead.
Torrential rain, hailstones, high winds, thunder and lightning resulted in a delay of 25 minutes before the action could resume.
It made for a memorable night, and one that ended with the host nation coming through a stern test of their credentials to keep alive their dream of winning the trophy in Berlin on July 14.
However, their path is set to get much tougher from here, and Denmark next travel to Stuttgart for a quarter-final on Friday against either much-fancied Spain or surprise package Georgia.
“We’re playing with euphoria, we’re playing with fun, and that’s when football is the most beautiful,” defender Nico Schlotterbeck said.
Denmark, who famously beat Germany in the UEFA Euro 1992 final, go home without winning a game — they had qualified from their group with three draws.
Coach Kasper Hjulmand complained about the two key video assistant referee (VAR) decisions that went against Denmark.
“It’s not how we are supposed to be using VAR. It’s 1cm,” he said of the offside against Andersen. “And one minute later there was a penalty, I’m so tired of the ridiculous handball rules.”
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