Already assured of top spot in Group D regardless of their result here, the shackles were off for Denmark. But even with their fate secured, they showed no signs of relenting in the opening stages of this clash and duly took the lead inside 10 minutes.
There was an err of simplicity about how it came about too, with Conrad Harder turning his marker inside out in the area before rifling home at the near post. Finland needed to win here to have any chance of advancing, but their faint hopes should have been extinguished just moments later when Oscar Luigi Fraulo was left unmarked on the edge of the area and diverted Harder’s cross narrowly over the bar.
It took Finland half an hour to truly realise the situation they were in, and they did eventually manufacture a clear sight of goal, but as the ball fell invitingly for Casper Terho on the edge of the area, his wild strike found Row Z behind the goal.
The Little Eagle-Owls were getting the result they needed in the group’s other game at HT, which was a Netherlands win, but needing to overturn a big goal difference swing, they had to go for the spectacular here. They came out swinging after the break, but with the hour mark arriving without Finland having a shot on target, it was clear where they were coming up short.
In throwing caution to the wind, FInland left themselves open to the counter, and Harder nearly exploited that in clinical fashion, only to see his effort on the break tipped onto the post by Lucas Bergström.
The woodwork was still shaking for Harder’s effort when the Danes had the frame of the goal shaking again, with William Böving responsible this time as he thundered an effort against the crossbar.
The fine margins of football were on display shortly after, when Casper Terho missed a glorious chance to level the game at one end as he struck the post, and then straight up the other end Harder swept home on the counter to all but end Finland’s hopes of advancing.
The Finns did get one back through Naatan Skyttä, who reacted quickest to a loose ball inside the area to fire into the roof of the net and score with his sides’ 15th attempt!
That seemed to incentivise Finland, who duly drew level eight minutes from time when Topi Keskinen’s daisy cutter from distance snuck into the bottom corner. That set up a grandstand finish but ultimately proved but scant consolation for the Finns, who can at least say they’ve bowed out on a high. Denmark, meanwhile, can now look ahead to a quarter-final clash against France on Sunday.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Conrad Harder (Denmark)