Wales were knocked out in the second round of Euro 2020 when they were beaten up by Denmark, whose inspiring journey at the tournament continues through to the quarter-finals.
Supported by a passionate and almost exclusively Danish crowd, Kasper Hjulmand’s team was in the lead when Kasper Dolberg scored a fine shot from the edge of the box in the 27th minute.
Dolberg scored again in the 48th minute when he took advantage of a defensive error by substitute Wales Neco Williams to land at close range.
That goal weakened Wales, which never looked like it would fight its way back into the game when Joakim Maehle earned the cheering Danes a late third place.
Substitute Harry Wilson then saw a red card for a late foul on Maehle before Martin Braithwaite scored a fourth goal in stoppage time as Wales’ campaign ended miserably.
Robert Page’s men had done well to get out of a difficult Group A that included Italy, Switzerland and Turkey, but this impressive Danish team proved too challenging.
Denmark had already delivered the uplifting history of this final tournament and showed admirable determination to reach that stage after midfielder Christian Eriksen recovered from cardiac arrest.
The next stop on their fairy tale journey is Baku for a round of 16 against the Netherlands or the Czech Republic on Saturday.
As for Wales, they will return home exhausted but, in time, proud of their efforts to get back to the knockout stage in only their third appearance in a major tournament.
Kasper Dolberg (center) leads the cheers after his second goal of the game put Denmark firmly under control
Wales’ long road is coming to an end
Wales’ journey to this point had been long and arduous. While Denmark had the luxury of playing all three group games at home in Copenhagen, Page’s team traveled to Baku for two games at the tournament’s eastern outposts before taking on Italy in Rome.
This was practically the third away game out of four for Wales and at first they seemed to enjoy the challenge as they made a focused start to the game.
Looking dangerous on the right, Captain Gareth Bale cut inward on his left foot and sent a 20-yard shot just wide before finding room again to create openings for his peers.
That turned out to be a bad morning as Dolberg’s brilliant goal changed the game.
From that point on, Wales had to retreat further into their own half amid pressure, struggling with an injury to right-back Connor Roberts and a yellow card to striker Kieffer Moore, placing his threat as a physical fulcrum for the attack.
Moore was annoyed that he hadn’t won a free kick in the run-up to Denmark’s second goal as he was mistreated by Simon Kjaer, whom he fouled over his previous warning.
Gareth Bale protests against referee Daniel Siebert after Denmark’s second goal, which Wales should have ruled out for a foul on Kieffer Moore
But the goal was still largely Wales ‘own work when Williams’ attempt to clear the game fell to Dolberg, who had the simple task of finishing inside the box.
That was a major blow to Wales, who seemed devoid of energy and ideas when they tried unsuccessfully to make a comeback.
A two-goal defeat would have been disappointing enough, but in the last five minutes they collapsed miserably, conceding two late goals and Wilson’s red card which brought their campaign to a very depressing conclusion.
Gareth Bale (left) drilled a shot just wide of the Danish goal early
Denmark’s home away from home
Denmark not only had the benefit of having thousands of fans in Amsterdam, but also the support of locals and neutrals at the Johan Cruyff Arena, Eriksen’s former home when he played for Ajax.
Estimates before the game of 5,000 Danes were far off – almost every single one of the 16,000 spectators in the stadium wore their colors and gave this game the strong feeling of a home game for Hjulmand’s team.
Denmark were a little slow at first to take advantage of this but when Dolberg put them in the lead they took total control.
Another former Ajax player, Dolberg, was a handful for the Welsh center-backs, while receiving good support in wide areas from his strikers Mikkel Damsgaard and Braithwaite.
It was Barcelona striker Braithwaite who made the key pass for the second goal, slid past Joe Rodon and fired the low cross that diverted Williams into Dolberg’s path.
Denmark now dominated completely, which gave the fans even more reason to cheer when Maehle, unnoticed at the back post, shot into the top corner.
Danish fans had to wait to celebrate Braithwaite’s goal in added time. Originally not allowed due to offside, a VAR decision meant they could continue their party and advance in the tournament.
The statistics
- Wales have lost major tournament games in a row for the first time in their history
- Wales are the first team since Russia and Switzerland in 2004 to receive two red cards in a single edition of the European Championship.
- Denmark are the first team to score 4+ goals in consecutive games in European Championship history.
- Mikkel Damsgaard has been involved in seven goals in his six appearances in all competitions for the Danes
- Denmark has won a single major tournament for the first time since the 1986 World Cup.
- Kasper Dolberg was the second Danish player to score two goals in a knockout match at a major tournament after Henrik Larsen against Netherlands at the 1992 European Championship.
Player of the game
DolbergKasper Dolberg
Constellations
Wales
formation 4-2-3-1
12thstation
14thRoberts22ndMepham6thRodon4thDavies
16Morrell7thAll
11Bale10Ramsey20thJames
13thMoors
- 12thstation
- 14thRobertsReplaced byN Williamsat the 41 ‘protocol
- 22ndMepham
- 6thRodonBooked at 26 minutes
- 4thDavies
- 16MorrellReplaced byWilsonat the 60 ‘protocolBooked at 90 minutes
- 7thAll
- 11BaleBooked at 90 minutes
- 10Ramsey
- 20thJamesReplaced byBrooksat the 78 ‘protocolBooked at 80 minutes
- 13thMoorsBooked at 40 minutesReplaced byRobertsat the 78 ‘protocol
replacement
- 1Hennessey
- 2Günter
- 3N Williams
- 5Lockyer
- 8thWilson
- 9Roberts
- 18thWilliams
- 19thBrooks
- 21stDavies
- 23Levite
- 24Branch
- 26thBlacksmith
Denmark
formation 3-4-2-1
1Flattery
6thChristensen4thKjaer3Vestergaard
17thStryger Larsen23Højbjerg8thDelaney5Nice
9Braithwaite14thDamsgaard
12thDolberg
- 1Flattery
- 6thChristensen
- 4thKjaerReplaced byAndersenat the 77 ‘protocol
- 3Vestergaard
- 17thStryger LarsenReplaced byBoilingat the 77 ‘protocol
- 23Højbjerg
- 8thDelaneyReplaced byJensenat the 60 ‘protocol
- 5Nice
- 9Braithwaite
- 14thDamsgaardReplaced byNørgaardat the 60 ‘protocol
- 12thDolbergReplaced byCorneliusat the 70 ‘protocol
replacement
- 2Andersen
- 7thForest
- 11Skov Olsen
- 13thM Jörgensen
- fifteenNørgaard
- 16Loessl
- 19thwind
- 21stCornelius
- 22ndRoennow
- 24Jensen
- 25thChristiansen
- 26thBoiling
Referee: Daniel Siebert
Participation: 14,645
Live text
Game ends, Wales 0, Denmark 4.
Second half ends, Wales 0, Denmark 4.
VAR decision: Goal Wales 0-4 Denmark (Martin Braithwaite).
Goal! Wales 0, Denmark 4. Martin Braithwaite (Denmark) left footed shot from the center of the box, bottom left. Assisted by Andreas Cornelius after a quick break.
Gareth Bale (Wales) is shown the yellow card.
Mathias Jensen (Denmark) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Gareth Bale (Wales).
Christian Nørgaard (Denmark) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Aaron Ramsey (Wales).
Harry Wilson (Wales) is shown the red card.
Joakim Maehle (Denmark) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Harry Wilson (Wales).
Goal! Wales 0, Denmark 3. Joakim Maehle (Denmark) left footed shot from the center of the box, to the top right corner. Supported by Mathias Jensen.
Attempt failed. Joachim Andersen (Denmark) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box misses to the left following a corner.
Martin Braithwaite (Denmark) hits the right post with a right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box following a corner.
Attempt saved. Andreas Cornelius (Denmark) headed from the center of the box, saved by the goalkeeper in the lower right corner. Assisted by Mathias Jensen with a cross.
Corner, Denmark. Granted by Joe Rodon.
Joakim Maehle (Denmark) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Gareth Bale (Wales).
Corner, Denmark. Granted by Joe Rodon.
