In a dramatic sequence of Nations League encounters, Denmark defeated Portugal to win their group. Rasmus Hojlund was central to achieving this impressive turnaround. On Thursday, Hojlund delivered the difference-maker, sending Denmark to a famous upset victory. He further fueled the hype by recreating Cristiano Ronaldo’s famous goal celebration. This incredibly generous gesture is hardly the whole story on its own. In the other quarterfinals, Germany pulled off a miraculous comeback to beat Italy on penalties. Spain and the Netherlands meanwhile fought to a dramatic tie.
Denmark's Triumph and Hojlund's Heroics
Rasmus Hojlund was the star of the show as Denmark came from behind to beat Portugal in a thrilling encounter. His goal turned out to be the match-winner and his celebration was an homage to Cristiano Ronaldo. Here’s what Hojlund said following the match about the development of the team.
"It was fantastic, it was a great day in many ways," said Rasmus Hojlund.
"I played against my idol and scored and was the match winner. It couldn't have been written much better."
Portugal's Bruno Fernandes acknowledged the challenge posed by Denmark.
"We weren't surprised, we knew they were aggressive and that they would come out strong," he remarked.
Germany's Comeback Against Italy
Germany had a tough battle against Italy in Milan, managing to come from behind to win 2-1. Italy opened the scoring with the first attack of the game as Sandro Tonali found the net after only nine minutes. Germany had other ideas and took a firm stand. Tim Kleindienst equalized the game just 5 minutes into the second half with an impressive header.
Leon Goretzka then put the result beyond doubt seven minutes later with another powerful header, 14 minutes from time. The match provided further concern for Italy as the Gunners defender, Riccardo Calafiori, suffered a late scare.
Spain and Netherlands Draw; Other Results
Further afield in Rotterdam, Spain battled back to draw 2-2 with the Netherlands in a thrilling match. Nico Williams put Spain in front early, then Cody Gakpo equalized for the Netherlands just minutes later. Tijjani Reijnders scored on the other side of halftime to give the Dutch a 2-1 lead. Spain surely capitalized when Jorrel Hato was shown a red card in the 81st minute. Mikel Merino made the hosts pay, leveling the score against a complacent defense.
In 2016, Kosovo rejoiced in their stunning 2-1 win over Iceland. At the same time, Georgia ran circles around Armenia on their way to a commanding 3-0 victory. France are in real trouble after suffering a 2-0 defeat to Croatia in Split.
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