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Substitute Kevin de Bruyne has set up one goal and scored the winner himself to give Belgium a 2-1 victory over Denmark in a European Championship match marked by an emotional tribute to Christian Eriksen in the first half.
De Bruyne came on after halftime on Thursday for his first appearance since sustaining a facial fracture in the Champions League final and squared the ball for Thorgan Hazard to equalise in the 55th minute.
The Manchester City superstar then scored in the 71st with a fierce low drive from outside the area.
It was Denmark’s first game since their star Eriksen’s collapse in Saturday’s match against Finland – and the hosts started at a furious pace to honour him at a raucous Parken Stadium.
Yussuf Poulsen scored with a low shot inside the far post in only the second minute before players from both teams then halted play after 10 minutes as the 25,000 fans rose for a minute of thunderous applause in tribute to Danish No.10 Eriksen.
The players joined the applause as well, as did referee Bjorn Kuipers.
Eriksen was in a nearby hospital after suffering cardiac arrest in the team’s opening game.
Belgium fought back to earn a victory that seals their spot in the round of 16, although Denmark can still advance with a win over Russia on Monday if the Belgians beat Finland.
Carried forward by the largest crowd in Denmark since the government eased pandemic restrictions, the hosts kept pushing forward in wave after wave after the early goal.
Play resumed at a more normal pace after the tribute to Eriksen, but Denmark were still much the better side in the first half.
Yet things changed completely when De Bruyne came on after the break.
Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand had said the team’s strategy for keeping Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku quiet was to make sure he didn’t get the ball in the first place.
Denmark had largely succeeded until the 55th minutes, when Lukaku burst forward down the right flank before passing to De Bruyne.
The Manchester City midfielder weaved into the area before teeing up Hazard, who slotted it past a scrambling Kasper Schmeichel.
Eden Hazard, Thorgan’s superstar brother, then came on and set up De Bruyne for the second goal.
The City midfielder ran towards the Belgium fans but didn’t celebrate the goal, making a pushing hands down gesture in a calming motion out of respect for Eriksen.
Martin Braithwaite had Denmark’s best chances for an equaliser, but his shot was saved by Thibaut Courtois in the 75th and his header glanced against the crossbar in the 87th.
© AAP
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