We have just watched the best match of the Championships so far. In the opening minutes a very strong German team looked as if they might dominate, but Denmark got successively tougher as the match progressed.
In the first quarter of the game Germany often managed to methodically build up attacks. The Danes looked somewhat passive with the team’s forwards seemingly content to wait for passes, instead of challenging the tempo established by their opponents. The danger for Denmark was that during the exchange of backs the Germans would make a rush backed by 3 or 4 players.
Shortly before the 10 minute mark, the collection of half fresh lungs outside the Danish goal gave Germany’s Stefan Klett a chance to flip the switch, putting one on the score board. Not long after that Dennis Pahl made a second goal for Germany. Two to zero might have spelt the end for another team but not this one from the country lying so close to Germany.
Denmark’s lapse was no burnt-out fuse. The Danes reset the circuit breaker and in workman-like fashion gradually deprived their opponents of the tempo control strategy. It did not come easily. On more than one occasion, though they did not have physical dominance, the Danes scooped up sub-prime Deutsche passes and tried to go to the bank. With around 5 minutes remaining Denmark’s Simon Schäfer put in goal, erasing Germany’s self assurance.
Perhaps frustrated at the trend, the Germans committed two roughing fouls, which only encouraged the Danes to dig in and fight harder. After half-time the Danish forechecking became urgent. If in the first half Danish counterattacks quickly met resistance, in the second half they extended their forward movement. Every time they closed on the German goal, two Russia spectators rooting for Denmark said, “come-on! Tie game now.”
The Danish pressure had a sort of increasing grimness that the Germans had no answer for. However, in the end team Germany hung on to their one nil lead to the end. The last few minute were nail biting entertainment.
Davrell Tien poolside