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在线翻译:
szdaily -> Sports -> 
Belgium, Denmark proceed to last 16
    2021-06-23  08:53    Shenzhen Daily

AN own goal from Finland goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky and a smart Romelu Lukaku finish sent Belgium into the last 16 of Euro 2020 with a perfect record from Group B after a 2-0 win in St. Petersburg.

The result left the Finns facing a nervous wait to see if they can sneak into the last 16.

A much-changed Belgium side dominated the game but only found a breakthrough in the 74th-minute courtesy of an own goal from keeper Hradecky, who fumbled a Thomas Vermaelen header over the line after it had crashed off the woodwork.

Striker Lukaku clinched the victory in the 83rd minute by swiveling to thump home a Kevin de Bruyne pass and score his third goal of the tournament.

Belgium, which became the third team after Italy and the Netherlands to win all three group games, will face one of the third-placed sides in Seville on June 27.

Finland, which came third with three points, must wait until the end of the group stage to see if its adventure in a first ever major tournament will continue, and the side needs a series of results to go its way if it is to make the last 16.

“It was a tough game today. We knew that Finland would play very compact and would be difficult to break down. But from the moment we scored, we knew they had to come out and it was more open,” Belgium midfielder De Bruyne said.

Denmark claimed an astonishing 4-1 victory over Russia to scramble into the last 16 on a wonderful night in Copenhagen.

Needing a victory to have any chance of progression, Mikkel Damsgaard lit the touchpaper with a 38th-minute wonder goal on a head-spinning night in the Parken Stadium.

A dreadful mistake by Russia’s Roman Zobnin allowed Yussuf Poulsen to double the lead on the hour.

Russia threatened a comeback when Artem Dzyuba converted a 70th-minute penalty but Andreas Christensen’s screamer made it 3-1 before Joakim Maehle completed the rout.

It was only half the story though as Denmark’s fate was never in its own hands and the side was still indebted to Belgium, which beat Finland 2-0 in St. Petersburg.

Having lost its opening two games in the wake of Christian Eriksen’s cardiac arrest in the opener against Finland, Denmark went through as the runner-up due to its superior goal difference and will face Wales next.

Also on Monday, Georginio Wijnaldum scored twice and Memphis Depay added to his goal haul in a 3-0 Netherlands win over North Macedonia to keep their 100 percent record at Euro 2020 in Amsterdam.(SD-Agencies)

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