Nations League: Benzema scores as Denmark fight back to beat France

Andreas Cornelius’ successor Andreas Cornelius scored twice as Denmark recovered from Karim Benzema’s 2-1 win over France in Friday’s UEFA Nations League match at the Stade de France, the first match on the pitch since last weekend’s Champions League. lastly.

Benzema’s impressive goal put France World Cup leaders ahead six minutes after the break, only Trabzonspor striker Cornelius opened the scoring for Denmark in the middle of the second half and scored the winner in the 88th minute.

That meant it was a disappointing night in France when he saw both Kylian Mbappe and Raphael Varane come out knocking.

There was a house full of 75,833 people inside the Stade de France, including 1,400 Danish supporters, but the air outside before the game was calm.

That was very different from the scenes in the last six days, when major organizational problems led to fans not being able to enter the stadium as many peaceful fans were released with tear gas before Real Madrid’s 1-0 win over Liverpool.

European football governing body UEFA on Friday issued an apology to the spectators for what it acknowledged to be “shocking and depressing” to those involved.

As a result of the epidemic, Friday’s game was the first game of the French football team on the field without the crowds limit since November 2019.

Home fans were hoping to see Les Bleus start with a victory as they defended the Nations League title they won last year by beating Spain in the final.

This was the first of four games they will play this month in League A, Group 1 before their players go on vacation, and the game did not really take place in the first half.

– Mbappe, Varane out – France, whose coach Didier Deschamps, who was absent following his father’s death, is upset when Paris Saint-Germain star Mbappe gets up and kneels just before the break.

He did not appear again after the break, with Christopher Nkunku replacing him, and the RB Leipzig striker scored in the 51st minute.

Benzema, in the same stadium where he won the Champions League last weekend, collected the ball on the right, played one game with Nkunku and left the Danish team dead before entering his 95th game.

Manchester United defender Varane jumped again, replaced by William Saliba, and Denmark spent the money turning the game over with a header.

Cornelius had been on the field for a long time when he seemed completely unmarked in the area to add a first-half finish to Pierre-Emile Hojberg assisting Pierre-Emile Hojberg.

Hugo Lloris blocked Andreas Skov Olsen’s drive shortly afterwards, before N’Golo Kante broke the woods attempt on the other side.

Eriksen then missed a good chance to set aside in the 86th minute as Lloris stroked him in the empty space.

However, the Danes won shortly after Cornelius hit an offside trap before running and grabbed Saliba to shoot Lloris from close range.

“France is probably the best team in terms of the names and quality of its players,” admitted Danish coach Kasper Hjulmand.

“I have heard that a lot of people at home in Denmark are out on the streets celebrating and that is good. I’m really excited about Danish football tonight. ”

The result is a warning to France, who will be in the same group as Denmark at the World Cup later this year.

The teams will be playing in the Nations League again on Monday when France face Croatia and Denmark in Austria.

Croatia lost 3-0 at home to Austria on Friday with Marko Arnautovic, Michael Gregoritsch and Marcel Sabitzer all scoring goals.

Meanwhile the Netherlands won 4-1 to neighboring Belgium in Brussels in League A, Group 4.

Steven Bergwijn gave the Dutch the lead before Memphis Depay scored Denzel Dumfries’ second-half goal. Michy Batshuayi pulled one back late to Belgium.

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