UEFA Nation’s League: Denmark beat France; Netherlands thrash Belgium
Andreas Cornelius scored twice as Denmark recovered from conceding to a brilliant Karim Benzema goal to beat France 2-1 on Friday in the UEFA Nations League at the Stade de France.
Benzema’s stunning strike put World Cup holders France in front six minutes after halftime, only for Trabzonspor striker Cornelius to turn in Denmark’s equaliser midway through the second half and then smash in an 88th-minute winner.
That meant it was a disappointing night for France who saw both Kylian Mbappe and Raphael Varane come off with knocks.
France, whose coach Didier Deschamps was absent following the death of his father, were dealt a blow when Paris Saint-Germain star Mbappe pulled up with a knee knock just before the interval.
He did not reappear after the break, with Christopher Nkunku taking his place, and the RB Leipzig forward played a part in the opening goal in the 51st minute.
Manchester United centre-back Varane then also hobbled off, with William Saliba replacing him, and Denmark capitalised as they turned the match on its head.
There was a near-full house of 75 833 inside the Stade de France, including 1 400 Danish supporters, but the atmosphere outside the ground ahead of kick-off was calm.
Because of the pandemic, Friday’s match was the first France national football team game at the stadium without crowd restrictions since November 2019.
Home supporters were hoping to see Les Bleus start with a victory as they defend the Nations League title they won last year by beating Spain in the final.
This was the first of four matches they will play this month in League A, Group 1 before their players can depart on holiday.
The result is a warning for France, who will be in the same group as Denmark at the World Cup later this year.
The sides will be in Nations League action again on Monday with France away to Croatia and Denmark in Austria.
Croatia suffered a shock 3-0 home defeat by Austria on Friday with Marko Arnautovic, Michael Gregoritsch and Marcel Sabitzer all scoring.
Meanwhile, Memphis Depay scored a double as the Netherlands ended 25 years without success against neighbours Belgium with a 4-1 thumping of their hosts in the Nations League in Brussels on Friday.
.Steven Bergwijn and Denzel Dumfries netted the other two goals as the Dutch ended Belgium’s almost six-year unbeaten home record in a stark reversal for the team, who had topped the Fifa rankings for three years until being recently deposed.
Bergwijn hammered home from outside the box in the 40th minute to give the Dutch a deserved halftime lead before Depay and Dumfries added more in the second half in a decisive performance.
Belgium, who lost Romelu Lukaku to injury early on, scored a consolation three minutes into stoppage time through Michy Batshuayi but were badly exposed at the back and the result will come as a serious setback as the prepare for the World Cup later this year.
The Dutch, who last beat Belgium in 1997 and had gone eight derbies without success since, ripped apart the home defence in the second half as Depay added the second in the 51st minute on a counter attack after a midfield steal from Davy Klaassen and a quick pass down the middle from Steven Berghuis.
Fullback Daley Blind reacted quickest to a rebound off a save from a Berghuis shot 11 minutes later to set up the third goal with a pass across the face of the goal that Dumfries tucked in at the back post.
Blind then provided another assist three minutes after that with a header into the path of Depay, who skilfully took the ball down off with his thigh before thumping it past Simon Mignolet from close range.
Belgium did look to score a consolation goal 13 minutes from time but Michy Batshuayi was offside in the build-up to Timothy Castagne putting the ball in the net. A VAR check denied Belgium a goal but they did get a consolation right at the end of the match.
Belgium last lost a home game in friendly against Spain in September 2016 when coach Roberto Martinez took charge of his first game.
