Nobody coughs at Spain, the imposing European champion, who doesn’t understand names, only wins. With or without its stars, Luis de la Fuente’s team seems like the same perfect machine, which continues to amaze, this time in Copenhagen, where Denmark had won nine of its last ten games and had drawn the other. Streak crushed by Spain, which with the victory ensures first place in its Nations group, which translates into home field advantage in the quarterfinals, and will be able to go to Tenerife on Monday to sunbathe. There are worse plans.
It didn’t take long for Spain to enter the game despite the absences, as soon as they adjusted the pressure a little they took the ball and Denmark began to run after them at the pace set by Dani Olmo, who had become the indisputable compass for De’s team. the Fuente, masterful the blaugrana. The ability to reinvent oneself is tremendous. the red onewhich is widely recognized even though it has, like this Friday, eight new faces compared to the Euro Cup final, for example. An unprecedented eleven for the coach, who, apart from absences due to injury, left Fabián, Morata and Nico Williams on the bench.
With an unprecedented eleven, De la Fuente’s team secured first place. group place and home field advantage in quarterfinals
Every attack from Spain was threatening for Schmeichel, who had no respite. The national team grew with each play and its superiority was increasingly evident. Ayoze, a Spanish stiletto, couldn’t finish almost at will after a corner but it took him just a couple of minutes to hit a shot and hit the crossbar violently.
Seeing Spain press was quite a spectacle and the Danes suffered greatly. Some isolated set piece play, always born from Eriksen’s glove, was the only argument for the debutant Riemer, who had a hard time leaving his mark. The first Spanish goal came after a quarter of an hour thanks to a great combination that was born in the front with Mikel Merino, continued with an opening to the area at the feet of Ayoze and concluded with a great maneuver by captain Oyarzábal with his right foot to leave the team dry. Schmeichel.
The superiority on the scoreboard did not diminish the ambition of De la Fuente’s men, who continued to act as if nothing had happened. Recovering the ball quickly and always being right when it came to speeding up or slowing down the game with it continued to be his roadmap. Raya did not have to intervene until half-time, although Denmark prowled the Spanish area on occasion. But Schmeichel did have to do it, because all the chances were generated by Spain until they headed towards the locker room. First, avoiding a double chance from Ayoze and Olmo. Afterwards, giving thanks that the Blaugrana didn’t hit the mark with his volley. And, finally, catching the ball after an attempt at an Olympic goal by Oyarzábal. The break sounded like heavenly music for the Danes, who needed to compose themselves, with one eye on the other game in the group.
But this Spain, immaculate in its journey since De la Fuente’s stormy landing, takes no prisoners (in sports, of course), and did not let the Danes breathe, hiding the ball and focusing on the rival goal whenever some space appeared . Dani Olmo’s wand continued to mark the times and, before the coach gave him his well-deserved rest, removing him from the Parken green, he gave him time to put a goal ball that Ayoze did not waste with a great cross shot. Although there was half an hour left to play, and the atmosphere is always hot in the Danish coliseum, the curtain threatened to touch the ground. Only the entry of Isaksen gave Denmark some life, signed by a couple of good plays by the young Lazio forward. The post denied him the goal in one of them.
Oyarzábal and Ayoze scored the goals and Raya, a saving save in a great game for Spain
With sharp nails, Isaksen did not waste Fabián’s gift and closed the gap, drawing the last five minutes of tension when everything seemed closed. Spain, which had lost Baena and Zubimendi to injury, remained calm, thus forcing Casadó’s debut, even when Olsen gave Raya a terrible scare, who made a spectacular and decisive stop in added time to secure the victory. One more.
Technical sheet
1 – Denmark: Schmeichel; Bah, Andersen, Vestergaard, Kristiansen (Dorgu, d.87); Højbjerg, Nørgaard (Damsgaard, d.61), Hjulmand; Grønbæk (Isaksen, m.61), Højlund (Dolberg, m.79), Eriksen (Skov Olsen, m.79).
2 – Spain: David Raya; Pedro Porro, Laporte, Vivian, Cucurella; Zubimendi (Casadó, m.70), Mikel Merino (Pedri, m.80), Dani Olmo (Nico Williams, m.70); Álex Baena (Fabián, m.62), Ayoze (Morata, m.69) and Oyarzabal.
Goals: 0-1. m.15: Oyarzabal; 0-2, m.58: Ayoze; 1-2, m.84: Isaksen.
Referee: Rade Obrenovic (Slovenia). He showed a yellow card, for Denmark, to Nørgaard (m.33), Højbjerg (m.79), Andersen (m.90) and Isaksen (m.90); for Spain, to Oyarzabal (m.74) and Morata (m.90).
Incidents: match corresponding to the fifth day of the Nations League played at the Parken in Copenhagen before 36,985 spectators, including some 2,000 Spanish fans. The Spanish players wore a message of support for those affected by dana on their warm-up shirts and a minute of silence was held for the victims. Before the match, former Danish coach Kasper Hjulmand and player Simon Kjær, retired from the national team after the Euro Cup, were honored.
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