Euro 2020: June 11-July 11
History, Eriksen inspire Denmark
Wales' Roberts says Danes will have world behind them after midfielder's cardiac arrest
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AMSTERDAM • Gareth Bale and Wales may have been the neutrals' favourites during their rousing run to the semi-finals of the last European Championship.
But, as they prepare to face Denmark in the last 16 at Euro 2020 in Amsterdam today, the goodwill is likely to all be for their opponents.
The Danes managed to qualify for the knockout phase in second place in Group B, despite the enormous emotional impact of Christian Eriksen's cardiac arrest during their opening game against Finland in Copenhagen.
After the trauma of seeing their star player resuscitated on the pitch, Kasper Hjulmand's team lost 1-0 to their Nordic neighbours. They then went down 2-1 to Belgium, but a thrilling 4-1 win over Russia was enough for them to advance.
"I think 99 per cent of the world are going to be supporting Denmark," Wales defender Connor Roberts told the BBC.
And so Denmark come to the Netherlands with the aim of winning a knockout tie at the European Championship for the first time since they stunned the continent to win the trophy itself in 1992, defeating Germany in the final in Gothenburg.
They had famously qualified only because war-torn Yugoslavia disintegrated.
Today marks exactly 29 years since that game. This time, the Danes, ranked as the 10th-best side in the world, should be favourites against No. 17 Wales as they look to go as far as possible for Eriksen, who has had surgery to have a defibrillator implanted.
"It's hard to describe what this team has been through the past four weeks. We're thinking about Christian all the way," said Hjulmand.
"Wales are a very tough opponent. They came very far last time. They have really great players, so I think it's going to a very equal game."
When the teams met twice in the Nations League in late 2018, Denmark won on both occasions, including a 2-0 home victory in which Eriksen scored twice.
1
Denmark are the first team to qualify as group runners-up for the knockout phase of a European Championship with one win and two defeats.
2018
Opposing goalkeepers Danny Ward and Kasper Schmeichel have been Leicester City teammates since 2018.
But, without Eriksen, Hjulmand is again likely to deploy 20-year-old winger Mikkel Damsgaard, who opened the scoring against Russia, in the playmaking role.
Still, the coach admitted it will take another sterling collective effort if they are to advance.
Wales will once again rely on Aaron Ramsey and Bale for the creative spark they will need to break down the Danes, as well as the formidable long throw-ins of Roberts.
Ethan Ampadu is suspended after his sending-off in the 1-0 loss to Group A winners Italy and interim coach Rob Page is likely to revert to a flat back four after experimenting with a 3-4-3 formation against the flying Italians.
"We're all ambitious," Page told the Uefa website. "I am as a coach, they are as players. We want to go as far as we can.
"We know that on our day, we can give anybody a good game... (and) we can hurt teams as well."
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
