Germany superior to the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 with a 2-0 win in opposition to Denmark in Dortmund on Saturday night time.
Two second-half targets ensured the hosts progressed to the final eight, taking benefit after the Danes had a strike of their very own controversially dominated out.
With 35 minutes on the clock, referee Michael Oliver suspended play as a consequence of a lightning storm, however the match continued quickly after when the heavy rain cleared.
Julian Nagelsmann’s aspect will face both Spain or Georgia within the subsequent spherical, with their potential opponents as a consequence of play on Sunday.
How the sport unfolded
After solely 4 minutes, Germany thought they went in entrance. Nico Schlotterbeck headed residence from a nook, however the objective was chalked off as Joshua Kimmich was judged to have illegally blocked off Andreas Skov Olsen from reaching the ball first
Kasper Schmeichel quickly after needed to get down low to disclaim a superb volley from Kai Havertz because the hosts’ quick begin continued.
Denmark’s first opening got here when Joachim Andersen picked out Christian Eriksen with a sensational ball excessive. His first contact was beautiful, however Antonio Rudiger made a last-ditch block to disclaim him.
Eriksen then turned supplier for Joakim Maehle, whose shot from a decent angle whistled previous the put up.
After play resumed following the pause for the lightning storm, Schmeichel made a superb instinctive save to disclaim Havertz, who rose highest to satisfy a depraved David Raum cross.
Germany might have been made to pay when Schlotterbeck was dispossessed in his personal field by Rasmus Hojlund, who raced to the touchline earlier than firing a shot into the side-netting.
One other probability went begging when Germany had been caught excessive up the pitch and launched Skov Olsen on the counter. His ball inside beat Rudiger and rolled into Hojlund’s path, however Manuel Neuer was fast off his line to deflect his dink to security.
Inside three minutes of the restart, Denmark had the ball within the web. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s floated cross took a number of deflections earlier than falling kindly for Andersen to bundle in. Nonetheless, after a prolonged VAR test, the objective was disallowed for offside.
Moments later, VAR advisable a evaluation after the ball struck Andersen’s hand whereas attempting to defend a Raum cross, and referee Oliver pointed to the penalty spot. Havertz stepped up and located the underside nook to place Germany forward.
Havertz ought to have had a second quickly after when he looped the ball away from two retreating Danish defenders with a powerful piece of talent and sprinted via to objective, just for his chipped end to land huge of the put up.
Down the opposite finish, Hojbjerg discovered Hojlund advancing into the field, however his pushed effort was straight at Neuer.
And Denmark had been made to pay for that wastefulness when Musiala doubled Germany’s lead with their subsequent assault. Schlotterbeck’s intelligent ball across the again of the Denmark defence rolled into Musiala’s path, and he made no mistake when one-on-one with Schmeichel.
Substitute Florian Wirtz thought he’d added a 3rd in stoppage time, however he was method offside and Germany needed to accept simply the two-goal victory.
GK: Manuel Neuer – 6/10 – Got here up with some vital saves and his fast selections to come back off his line benefitted the group.
RB: Joshua Kimmich – 6/10 – Most of Denmark’s finest possibilities got here down Kimmich’s aspect and he failed to deal with their overloads. Tidy in possession not less than.
CB: Antonio Rudiger – 8/10 – Went to nice lengths to make sure his clear sheet remained in tact with a sequence of wonderful tackles and blocks. A monstrous efficiency from somebody who was an harm doubt for a lot of the week.
CB: Nico Schlotterbeck – 7/10 – Somewhat suspect defensively however his proficiency in possession led to Germany’s second objective. A tad unfortunate to have had his personal effort dominated out.
LB: David Raum – 7/10 – Got here in for Mittelstadt and took his probability to impress. Always obtained down the left flank to present Musiala help and put in teasing crosses.
CM: Robert Andrich – 6/10 – Acquired caught in and in addition got here up with the odd prolonged move.
CM: Toni Kroos – 6/10 – Barely sloppier than ordinary in midfield within the first half when Germany had been free in transition, however settled again into his position after the break.
RW: Leroy Sane – 5/10 – Carried the ball at nice size however was usually caught out for holding maintain of it for somewhat to lengthy.
AM: Ilkay Gundogan – 5/10 – Popped up in house linking play however did not have a sustained influence on the sport.
LW: Jamal Musiala – 8/10 – Drifted inside to permit Raum the house to function on the wing. Nullified for stretches of the sport however broke free to attain the clinching objective.
CF: Kai Havertz – 7/10 – One of the best and worst of Havertz was on show. Took his penalty fantastically, carved out possibilities for himself, demonstrated nice talent, however the remaining touches in open play had been usually lacking.
Substitutes
SUB: Emre Can (64′ for Andrich) – 6/10
SUB: Niclas Fullkrug (64′ for Gundogan) – 6/10
SUB: Benjamin Henrichs (80′ for Raum) – 6/10
SUB: Florian Wirtz (80′ for Musiala) – 6/10
SUB: Waldemar Anton (88′ for Sane) – N/A
Subs not used: Marc-Andre ter Stegen (GK), Oliver Baumann (GK), Maximilian Mittelstadt, Robin Koch, Pascal Gross, Thomas Muller, Chris Fuhrich, Maximilian Beier, Deniz Undav
Supervisor
Julian Nagelsmann – 6/10 – Germany performed with actual depth once more however their defensive lapses will probably be punished by higher groups.
GK: Kasper Schmeichel – 7/10 – Made some vital saves within the first half when Denmark had been underneath the cosh and in want of half-time.
CB: Joachim Andersen – 6/10 – The unfortunate antagonist of the night, harshly denied a primary worldwide objective and much more cruelly conceded a penalty. Germany appeared to drift passes over his head all night time, nonetheless.
CB: Jannik Vestergaard – 6/10 – Did not look misplaced at this stage, which might be probably the most you might have requested from him in a knockout tie in opposition to Germany.
CB: Andreas Christensen – 6/10 – Acquired bodily with Havertz within the first half. Hooked late on as Denmark went seeking an unlikely comeback.
RM: Alexander Bah – 5/10 – A nervy begin up in opposition to Raum and Musiala however was extra snug when Denmark had the ball.
CM: Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg – 6/10 – Denmark’s supply of inspiration in midfield, breaking apart play and shifting possession ahead.
CM: Thomas Delaney – 4/10 – Could not sustain with the tempo of the sport. Morten Hjulmand was sorely missed.
LM: Joakim Maehle – 5/10 – Like Bah wasn’t lower out defensively however proved his use in Germany’s third of the pitch.
AM: Andreas Skov Olsen – 5/10 – Made a gap for Hojlund within the first half however that was the extent of his involvement.
AM: Christian Eriksen – 6/10 – All the things good the Danes did got here via Eriksen, who relished taking duty even on a fruitless night.
CF: Rasmus Hojlund – 4/10 – Far too rash together with his decision-making and also you simply did not again him to transform any of his possibilities. Needs to be higher for this expertise at 21 years of age.
Substitutes
SUB: Christian Norgaard (69′ for Delaney) – 5/10
SUB: Yussuf Poulsen (69′ for Skov Olsen) – 5/10
SUB: Jonas Wind (81′ for Hojlund) – 5/10
SUB: Jacob Bruun Larsen (81′ for Christensen) – 5/10
SUB: Victor Kristiansen (81′ for Bah) – 5/10
Subs not used: Mads Hermansen (GK), Frederik Ronnow (GK), Simon Kjaer, Zanka, Mikkel Damsgaard, Ramsus Kristensen, Mathias Jensen, Kasper Dolberg, Anders Dreyer
Supervisor
Kasper Hjulmand – 6/10 – Denmark competed in addition to they might nevertheless it wasn’t to be. Arguably ought to have been extra optimistic together with his substitutes at 1-0.