Euro 2020: Fairytale comes genuine as Denmark grabs area in knockout stages

(CNN) - In a marketing campaign overshadowed with the aid of the fitness of Christian Eriksen, who suffered a cardiac arrest throughout Denmark's opening Euro 2020 game, the Danish countrywide group delivered a pulsating overall performance in opposition to Russia to tightly closed an not likely region in the tournament's knockout stages.

Having misplaced their opening two games, Denmark thumped Russia 4-1 in Copenhagen on Tuesday and with Group G winner Belgium beating Finland 2-0 in St. Petersburg, the Danes completed second, placing up a last-16 healthy in opposition to Wales in Amsterdam.

Mikkel Damsgaard's thunderous strike set the tempo for Denmark's stirring display, with the Danes roared on through their followers in an emotionally charged Parken Stadium.

Yussuf Poulsen pounced on Roman Zobnin's lousy again bypass to lengthen Denmark's lead, earlier than Russian striker Artem Dzyuba's penalty made it 2-1.

Denmark regrouped and Andreas Christensen's lovely long-range shot restored the Danes' two-goal benefit with Joakim Maehle then including a fourth.

When that fourth aim went in Danish followers should have been forgiven for questioning they have been section of a twenty first century fairytale.