Slovenia and Denmark ended in a surprising draw, with a score of 1-1, in the opening of Group C at the European Football Championship in Germany, this being also the first draw at EURO 2024.
The goals were scored by Eriksen in the 16th minute and Janza in the 77th minute.
Denmark was the team that counted in the first half, where they clearly dominated the proceedings against a team returning to a European Championship after a tremendously long wait, precisely 24 years.
Three years after suffering a heart attack on the field during a match at EURO 2021, in the game against Finland, Christian Eriksen, the playmaker of the Nordic team, the Manchester United player, opened the scoring with a cleverly taken free kick by his teammates and a superb heel deflection by Wind. More precisely, three years and four days later after that terrible incident and with a cardiac pacemaker implanted by doctors, the leader of the Nordics returned with a goal at a European competition.
Denmark continued to control the game even after this early goal in the 16th minute, missing several good goal-scoring opportunities thereafter.
Matjaz Kek's team was one of hard-working boys, who run a lot, but without individualities, without any player who could go head-to-head directly with the Danes. However, the second half was somewhat different, and starting from the 65th minute, the Slovenians began to dominate, first hitting the crossbar, and then Erik Janza from Gornik Zabrze ruthlessly fired from distance, the ball being slightly deflected, goal, 1-1.
Slovenia held on towards the end and caused the first major surprise at this European Championship, disrupting the initial calculations in a Group C where we also await tonight at 10 PM the match between Serbia and England.
Starting Lineups:
Slovenia: Oblak - Karnicnik, Drkusic, Bijol, Janza - Stojanovic, Cerin, Elsnik, Mlakar - Sporar, Sesko. Substitutes: Belec, Vekic, Balkovec, Blazic, G. Stankovic, Verbic, Lovric, Kurtic, Horvat, Vipotnik, Celar, Brekalo, Zugelj, Zeljkovic, Ilicic Coach: Matjaz Kek.
Denmark: Schmeichel - Andersen, Christensen, Vestergaard - Kristiansen, Hjulmand, Eriksen, Hojbjerg, Bah - Hojlund, Wind. Substitutes: Hermansen, Ronnow, Kjaer, Maehle, Jensen, Delaney, Skov Olsen, Dolberg, Jorgensen, Damsgaard, Norgaard, Poulsen, Dreyer, Kristensen, Bruun Larsen Coach: Kasper Hjulmand.
Referee: Sandro Schärer (Switzerland).