National Team: San Marino beaten 4-0 by relentless Denmark

An unprecedented encounter between Denmark and San Marino ends with the scoreline firmly in favour of the Northern European side, top seed in Group H of EURO 2024 qualifying. In a Parken Stadium filled to the very last seat, the hosts start with their foot firmly on the accelerator. Elia Benedettini is already decisive twice around the 5th minute: first with a reflex save on Wind’s header, then with a fine dive to parry Højbjerg’s effort from outside the box. Danish pressure leads to a penalty in the 18th minute, awarded by Spasjoņņikovs for a potential contact between Capicchioni and Lindstrøm. However, VAR calls the Latvian international to an on-field review and – after watching the footage – he overturns his decision. The more than 35,000 at the Parken are nonetheless able to celebrate a few minutes later, twice in quick succession. On 26 minutes Wind picks out Højbjerg’s run, and the midfielder drills an unstoppable right-footed shot past Benedettini after a body feint. Just over sixty seconds later, it’s Mæhle who doubles the lead, latching onto Eriksen’s back-heel assist, rounding the goalkeeper and rolling the ball into the net. Battistini does brilliantly in the 36th minute to unbalance the former Atalanta man with a shoulder barge, denying him a tap-in for a possible third on Stryger Larsen’s cross. The 3-0 does arrive in the 40th minute, again from a move started by Eriksen: the Manchester United playmaker’s mishit shot is decisively deflected by Wind to guide it into the goal. Before the interval, on yet another Eriksen delivery, Wind dives to head wide – under pressure from a San Marino defender, enough to prompt a VAR check, which ultimately allows play to continue. Deep into added time, Elia Benedettini stretches to deny Jensen’s close-range right-footer, which is then also ruled out by the assistant referee’s flag. At the start of the second half Denmark go close to scoring again when the ball rebounds off Mæhle’s ankle after a challenge from Di Maio. In the meantime, Costantini makes his first change, replacing Ceccaroli with Vitaioli – the latter reaching 85 caps for the national team. The Danes keep pushing, trying their luck from the edge of the area with Lindstrøm’s wayward rocket. After a good spell of diligent off-the-ball work by San Marino, Kasper Hjulmand introduces three fresh players in one go. Among them is the young Højlund, greeted by an ovation from the Parken Stadium. The forward, who joined Manchester United in the summer, immediately serves up an assist for Braithwaite, whose seemingly certain goal is denied by a monumental save from Tosi. Costantini also looks for fresh legs, calling D'Addario and Hirsch off the bench. It is precisely that pair who, in the 71st minute, lead a counter-attack that sees Lazzari shield the ball near the by-line before laying it back to D'Addario for a dangerous cross into the area. San Marino’s highly committed and hard-working defensive second half is further underlined by another technological intervention in favour of the Biancazzurri. Nothing doing for Hjulmand, even though he had produced a superb right-footed volley from twenty metres: in the build-up, Wind was in an active offside position. The infringement was missed by the on-field officials, but not by VAR, which intervened promptly. The post comes to Benedettini’s aid in the 88th minute, as he had no chance of reaching the quick turn and shot from enfant prodige Højlund. The only blemish on a second half in which the Titans seemed on course to keep a clean sheet is the cruel goal for the final 4-0 scoreline deep into stoppage time. Eriksen’s cross goes untouched, but the aerial duel between Di Maio and Poulsen deceives Benedettini. On 90 minutes exactly comes the debut of Andrea Magi: a first appearance for the national team for the young wide man playing for Diegaro.  

---

European Qualifiers 2023, Matchday 5 | Denmark-San Marino 4-0   DENMARK Schmeichel; Stryger Larsen, Kjær, Andersen, Mæhle; Jensen (from 58' M. Hjulmand), Højbjerg (from 58' Højlund), Eriksen; Skov Olsen (from 58' Braithwaite), Wind (from 82' Poulsen), Lindstrøm (from 72' Vallys) Substitutes: Hermansen, Rønnow, Nelsson, Christensen, Delaney, Nørgaard, Bah Coach: Kasper Hjulmand   SAN MARINO E. Benedettini; Franciosi, Di Maio, Rossi; Ma. Battistini (from 66' D'Addario), A. Golinucci, Capicchioni, Lazzari (from 85' Mularoni), Tosi (from 90' Magi); Ceccaroli (from 46' Vitaioli), F. Tomassini (from 66' Hirsch) Substitutes: A. Simoncini, S. Benedettini, Cevoli, Lunadei, Stefanelli, Mi. Battistini, Palazzi Coach: Fabrizio Costantini   Referee: Vitālijs Spasjoņņikovs (LVA) Assistant referees: Raimonds Tatriks (LVA) and Jevgenijs Morozovs (LVA) Fourth official: Aleksandrs Anufrijevs (LVA) VAR: Andris Treimanis (LVA) AVAR: Kristaps Ratnieks (LVA) Scorers: 26' Højbjerg, 28' Mæhle, 40' Wind, 90'+3' Eriksen Attendance: 36,262

---