Hosts Germany booked their place in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals with a commanding 2-0 win over Denmark in Dortmund on Saturday.
A match disrupted by a thunderstorm during the first half saw Julian Nagelsmann’s men race out of the blocks to have a goal disallowed after just four minutes. It looked like Germany might run away with it, but Denmark grew into the game well and had a goal of their own chalked off just after half-time for the narrowest of offside calls.
The man who scored that no-goal, Joachim Andersen, then suffered more bad luck moments later as his handball gave Germany a penalty, which Kai Havertz expertly dispatched to open the scoring.
Germany re-established their dominance and finished the game in the 68th minute as Nico Schlotterbeck released Jamal Musiala with a beautiful pass — the Bayern Munich youngster showing ultimate composure to finish beyond Kasper Schmeichel.
It’s the first time Germany have made it past the round of 16 at a major tournament since reaching the Euro 2016 semi-finals. Are Die Mannschaft back?
Here are the full player ratings from the clash in Dortmund:
Manuel Neuer – 8/10 – Stayed alert to make a couple of excellent saves at key points in the match and commanded his box well. Should silence a few doubters with this performance.
Joshua Kimmich – 7/10 – Always looked like creating something when he pushed forward down the right. Rarely tested defensively.
Antonio Rudiger – 8/10 – Made a vital block to deny Christian Eriksen when the score was still 0-0. Passing was on point as well. Vintage Rudiger.
Nico Schlotterbeck – 8/10 – Thought he’d opened the scoring after just four minutes only for VAR to intervene. Looked dangerous from set pieces all night and played a beautiful pass to set Musiala free for Germany’s second. His only mistake stumbling on the ball in the box went unpunished as Rasmus Hojlund blasted wide.
David Raum – 8/10 – Provided great thrust and width on the left and played some beautiful crosses into the Danish penalty area. Fired the ball at Andersen to win the penalty.
Robert Andrich – 7/10 – Let his aggression get the better of him on occasion but still provided an important defensive platform in midfield for Germany.
Toni Kroos – 9/10 – Most passes completed? Check. Most chances created? Check. Most touches of the ball? Check. This is just what Toni Kroos does. Enjoy him while you can.
Leroy Sane – 7/10 – Provided a different threat to Florian Wirtz with his speed and direct running. Final ball was left wanting a couple of times but he kept the Danish defence honest.
Ilkay Gundogan – 5/10 – Was unusually quiet despite this being a lively match. Had just 24 touches to his name and zero shots or chances created by the time he was brought off on 64 minutes.
Jamal Musiala – 9/10 – Such a graceful and composed player, even at 21 years old. Always looked to take the game to Denmark and kept his head brilliantly to finish the game with a smart finish in the second half.
Kai Havertz – 8/10 – Battled well against the Danish centre-backs and linked play with those behind him. Took his penalty superbly.
Substitutes:
Emre Can (64′, for Andrich) – 7/10 – Showed great composure to see the game out from the bench maintaining a 100% pass completion rate while making one block, one recovery and one clearance.
Niclas Fullkrug (64′, for Gundogan) – 7/10 – Offered his usual dose of no-nonsense physicality up-front, holding the ball up well.
Benjamin Henrichs (81′, for Raum) – 5/10 – Blazed a speculative effort over the bar but didn’t do much more.
Florian Wirtz (81′, for Musiala) – 7/10 – Looked a menace despite limited minutes. Had a goal disallowed and should have had an assist, but Havertz was denied by Schmeichel.
Waldemar Anton (88′, for Sane) – 6/10 – Did what he needed to at the end.
Kasper Schmeichel – 7/10 – The scoreline would have been much worse for Denmark without the interventions of Schmeichel, who made some excellent saves. But could he have come and claimed the ball to deny Musiala?
Joachim Andersen – 5/10 – The unluckiest man inside the Westfalenstadion. Within three minutes, he’d seen an opening goal disallowed for the most marginal of offside calls and given away a penalty after the ball was blasted into his arm from a yard away.
Jannik Vestergaard – 6/10 – Made some big blocks and interceptions but was left wanting for pace behind.
Andreas Christensen – 7/10 – Made tackle after block after clearance but Germany just proved too much.
Alexander Bah – 4/10 – Had a rough time up against an immense Jamal Musiala. The Bayern Munich youngster kept Bah pinned back for large stretches.
Thomas Delaney – 7/10 – Pushed forward well and helped create a couple of openings for Denmark before age caught up with him, fading in the second half.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg – 7/10 – Put in a huge amount of defensive work, making eight recoveries, two tackles and a clearance. Played a beautiful pass to put Hojlund in on goal, but the Man Utd striker couldn’t convert.
Joakim Maehle – 6/10 – A constant threat but missed a decent chance in the first half when the score was still 0-0.
Andreas Skov Olsen – 4/10 – The odd flash but just didn’t ask enough questions of the German defence.
Christian Eriksen – 7/10 – Showed several glimpses of his former brilliance and was probably Denmark’s best player, creating three chances.
Rasmus Hojlund – 3/10 – Great movement but lost his composure in front of goal, missing with four shots worth 0.76 xGOT. A night to forget for the Man Utd striker.
Substitutes:
Christian Norgaard (69′, for Delaney) – 6/10 – Looked bright from the bench but couldn’t bring Denmark back into the game.
Yussuf Poulsen (69′, for Skov Olsen) – 5/10 – Didn’t get into the game.
Jacob Bruun Larsen (80′, for Christensen) – 5/10 – As above.
Victor Kristiansen (81′, for Bah) – 6/10 – Added some more dynamism to the left flank but didn’t have enough time to change the game.
Jonas Wind (81′, for Hojlund) – 5/10 – Didn’t get into the game.
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