Denmark thrash Russia to attain Euro 2020 knockouts, Austria edge through
Denmark powered in to the last 16 of Euro 2020 with a brilliant 4-1 thrashing of Russia at a raucous Parken Stadium on Monday, assisting to send five other teams through along the way.
The Danes knew they had to beat Russia by two goals and hope leaders Belgium saw off Finland in Saint Petersburg to snatch second place in Group B despite opening with two defeats.
The first of those losses, to Finland, was overshadowed by Christian Eriksen's on-pitch collapse, the effect of a cardiac arrest.
Nonetheless it was a joyous night in Copenhagen on Monday as goals from Mikkel Damsgaard, Yussuf Poulsen, Andreas Christensen and Joakim Maehle saw the hosts through however you like, as Belgium scored two late goals to beat the Finns 2-0.
Kasper Hjulmand's men will meet Wales within the last 16 in Amsterdam on Saturday.
"The main (thing) is that people are actually united as Denmark," Maehle told Danish broadcaster DR following the win in front of a 25,000-strong crowd.
"We must enjoy this moment. I'm super pleased with the boys."
Inter Milan player Eriksen has left hospital after a successful operation to have a heart defibrillator fitted.
The results in Group B also saw Switzerland, who finished third in Group A, the Czech Republic, England, Sweden and France -- all yet to play their final group games -- move into the knockout phase.
The Czechs and England go head-to-head at Wembley on Tuesday, with first place in Group D shared, while Sweden undertake Poland and world champions France face holders Portugal, still in danger of a shock exit, on Wednesday.
The 1992 European champions Denmark still needed Belgium to beat Finland and for a long period it looked like that may not happen.
But Finnish goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky put through his own net in adverse conditions with 16 minutes to play, and Romelu Lukaku scored his third goal of the tournament in the 81st minute.
Belgium eased through as group winners and can play a third-placed team in Seville on Sunday.
- Austria clinch historic win -
Austria edged to a 1-0 make an impression on Ukraine earlier on Monday to beat their opponents to an area in the last 16.
Christoph Baumgartner's 21st-minute goal proved enough for Austria to secure second place in Group C behind holland, who saw off North Macedonia 3-0 in a dead rubber in Amsterdam.
Austria will face Group A winners Italy at Wembley on Saturday for a quarter-final berth.
"We wished to write history," Austria coach Franco Foda told uefa.com.
"You could start to see the boys took that up to speed and showed from the first minute that people wanted to win the game. I'm very pleased with my team."
Andriy Shevchenko's Ukraine, who suffered group-stage exits in 2012 and 2016, now face an anxious wait to see if their three points are enough to have them through as one of the four best third-placed teams.
Austria -- who had never won a European Championship match until they beat North Macedonia within their opener -- scored the all-important goal when Baumgartner beat 18-year-old defender Illia Zabarnyi to David Alaba's corner and poked beyond Georgiy Bushchan.
The other game in the group saw Dutch captain Georginio Wijnaldum net twice as the Netherlands managed to get three wins out of three.
Barcelona-bound Memphis Depay opened the scoring for Frank de Boer's men in Amsterdam, who were pushed by their visitors, with the Macedonians seeing two goals disallowed and hitting the post.
The Netherlands will next undertake a third-placed team in Budapest on Sunday.
- Scotland's Gilmour tests positive -
The Scottish Football Association announced that Chelsea midfielder Gilmour had tested positive for Covid-19, dealing an enormous blow to Scotland's hopes of rendering it beyond the group stage of a significant tournament for the very first time on Tuesday.
England pair Ben Chilwell and Mason Mount will also self-isolate after contact with their Chelsea teammate Gilmour and may miss England's game against the Czechs.
The 20-year-old Gilmour will miss Scotland's clash against Croatia at Hampden, with Steve Clarke's men having to win to have any potential for progressing to the last 16.
Spain captain Sergio Busquets was forced to self-isolate after a positive test earlier this month while Slovakia and Sweden are also hit by positive tests.
Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said he was against the semi-finals and final being held at Wembley as scheduled because of rising case numbers in England.
"I support making certain the final does not happen in a country where in fact the threat of infection is of course high," he told reporters at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin.
