Eriksen scores after 3 years of heart failure, Denmark still gets sad ending against Slovenia

The match at MHPArena Stadium took place exactly 1,100 days after Eriksen suffered a heart attack in the match against Finland at EURO 2020. The moment the Danish captain returned to EURO moved fans who witnessed his escape from death three years ago.

Last season, Eriksen did not play much for Man Utd. But at the age of 32, the No. 10 midfielder seemed to relive the peak of his career when he played for Tottenham, or when he played for Man Utd in the 2022-2023 season. Every Danish attack went through Eriksen. He moved freely on the field, taking all the corners and free kicks for his team.

In the 17th minute, from Jonas Wind's wall, Eriksen rushed up from the second line to receive the ball. After a moment of chest control, the Danish captain volleyed with his right foot to open the score.

During the rest of the first half, Eriksen repeatedly made the Slovenian defense falter. In the 28th minute, his cross almost caused Jaka Bijol to score an own goal. In the 42nd minute, Eriksen finished with one touch into the sky after a cross from Wind.

Unable to compete in midfield with their opponents, Slovenia looked for opportunities from long passes. Having been in the same group in the qualifying round, Slovenia seemed to understand how Denmark defended very well. Coach Matjaz Kek instructed his defenders to repeatedly flick the ball into the gaps between Denmark's central defenders, allowing Andraz Sporar and Jan Mlakar to slip in behind. Slovenia successfully broke Denmark's offside trap several times this way, but their forwards often had poor first-pass control.

The game script did not change much in the second half as Denmark continued to dominate. But Eriksen and his teammates could not take advantage to score more goals. In the 65th minute, Man Utd striker Rasmus Hojlund had a golden opportunity when receiving a cross from Victor Kristiansen, but could not beat Jan Oblak at close range.

After this miss, the game changed. Slovenia fought back. From Erik Janza's free kick, Sporar's shot went wide. Not long after, Benjamin Sesko shook the Danish goal with a powerful volley from outside the box, causing the ball to bounce off the post.

Denmark's slump was partly due to Eriksen's lack of stamina and lack of movement in the first half. Despite this, coach Kasper Hjulmand kept the 32-year-old midfielder on the pitch for the rest of the game because he had no replacement. Many other Danish positions were also exhausted, making them pay the price.

In the 77th minute, from a corner kick, Janza rushed up from the left wing to receive the rebound. His powerful volley hit Morten Hjulmand and changed direction, causing Kasper Schmeichel to miss and helplessly watch the ball go into the net. This goal saved an important point for Slovenia and this will be the premise for them to dream of a ticket to the next round. The draw is also beneficial for the two remaining teams in Group C, England and Serbia. In the second match, Slovenia will meet Serbia and Denmark will face England.