In the early morning of June 30, Beijing time, in a key battle in the 1/8 finals of the European Cup, the German men's football team faced the Danish men's football team. This match is not only a duel between two strong teams, but also a hot topic in this European Championship because of the extreme changes in weather and the repeated intervention of VAR.
Background and basic information about the competition
The backdrop of this game is complex and varied. Germany finished well in the group stage, topping the group with seven points from two wins and one draw, while Denmark finished second in the group with three points from three straight draws. It is worth mentioning that the two teams have met three times in the history of the European Championship, with Germany winning 2-1, although the last two friendlies have been 1-1 draws. These statistics undoubtedly add to the suspense of the game.
The last European Cup and the world rankings
Looking back at the last European Championship, Germany stopped in the quarterfinals, while Denmark made it all the way to the semi-finals. As the host of this European Championship, Germany has home advantage, but it is not a sure win. According to the latest world rankings, Germany is ranked 16th and Denmark is ranked 21st. This background information adds to the excitement of the game.
Key events of the game
From the start of the game, the German team showed a strong attack. In the fourth minute, Kroos took a corner kick and Schlotterbeck jumped high to head home. However, the referee immediately ruled out the goal on the grounds that Kimmich had blocked a defender in a duel for the ball. As you can imagine, the players and fans of the German team were very sorry for the decision. In the 35th minute of the game, lightning and thunder, hail and torrential rain hit the stadium. The referee had to blow the whistle to stop the game and the players returned to the locker room for refuge. This sudden change in weather also added more uncertainty to the game.
After the game resumed, the two sides exchanged offense and defense in the first half, but neither could find the back of the net. However, the plot of the second half took a sharp turn. In the 49th minute, Denmark's Anderson scored in a goalmouth scuffle, and the whole team celebrated wildly. However, the referee, after listening to VAR, ruled that Delaney was offside and the goal was invalidated. Just two minutes later, the fate of the Danish team was once again rewritten. In the 51st minute, Anderson was awarded a handball in the penalty area, and the referee changed the penalty after confirming it through VAR. In the 54th minute, Kai Havertz scored from the penalty spot to give Germany a 1-0 lead. It can be said that in just 4 minutes, the Danish team experienced a huge gap from heaven to hell from the time the goal was blown invalid to the penalty awarded.
The game came to an end when Denmark conceded another goal. Musiala scored a solo goal to seal a 2-0 win for Germany. In stoppage time, Wirtz's goal was again disallowed. Throughout the game, VAR intervened three times to make a difference, which had a hugely important impact on the outcome of the game.
The historical fate of Denmark
So far, the Danish team has bid farewell to this European Championship in advance. It is worth mentioning that Denmark has faced the hosts in a total of 6 European Championships in its history, losing all of them, conceding 11 goals and scoring only 1 goal. This seems to have become a kind of fate for the Danish team.
Deep thinking and future prospects
The ups and downs of the game not only made the fans addicted, but also triggered in-depth thinking about the referee's decision and the use of VAR. The original intention of VAR is to reduce misjudgments and improve the fairness of the game, but in practice, there is still a great deal of subjectivity in whether and when referees choose to use VAR. It's conceivable if the referee chooses to watch VAR at some crucial moment, will it change his decision?
For the German team, although they experienced many setbacks of being blown by goals, they showed strong mental quality and team spirit. Every setback is an opportunity to grow, and the German team showed their resilience and quality in this game. The Germans will need to continue this spirit in the coming competitions if they are to go far in the European Championships.
As for the Danes, despite their somewhat unlucky performance in this game, their performance was still positive. Denmark's defence and teamwork have been excellent in the group stage, and they have been able to maintain their fighting spirit and indomitable spirit against strong German teams. Although they were unable to reach the round of 16 this time, the Danish players have undoubtedly accumulated valuable experience that will be of great benefit to them in their future competitions.
VAR and Fairness of the Game
The involvement of VAR was undoubtedly the biggest point of contention in this game. VAR exists to improve the fairness of the game and reduce human errors, but the frequency and timing of its use are often controversial. In this match, the players of both the Danish and German teams experienced a rollercoaster of emotions several times due to the intervention of VAR. It is conceivable that the players not only have to go all out to face the opponent on the field, but also have to be on the lookout for the sudden intervention of VAR at all times, which undoubtedly increases the psychological pressure of the game.
For spectators, the intervention of VAR adds to the suspense of the game, but it also raises more questions about the fairness of the decision. After all, football is not only a contest of technology and tactics, but also an emotional and spiritual contest. If VAR is used too often, does it make the game less enjoyable?
Personal views and reflections
I think the charm of football is not only the fierce confrontation on the field, but also the unpredictable moments and emotional resonance. The presence of VAR does help to reduce obvious miscalculations, but care should also be taken to keep the game flowing and enjoyable. After all, football is a sport full of passion and uncertainty, and relying too much on technical means can make the game lose its original charm.
Future outlook
Looking ahead, both Germany and Denmark will face new challenges. Germany will need to continue their attacking power and defensive stability in the upcoming games to go far in this tournament. The Danish team needs to sum up their experience, improve their overall strength, and strive for better results in future competitions.
For the fans, every game is an emotional investment and a mental enjoyment. Regardless of the result, we should applaud the fighting spirit and the great performance of the players. It is conceivable that there will still be countless wonderful moments waiting for us to witness and experience in the future European Championship.
epilogue
This match between Germany and Denmark was full of drama and suspense, both in terms of the course of the game and the result. The timeouts in the thunder, the multiple interventions of VAR and the tenacious struggle of the players all made this game a classic battle of this European Cup. Let's look forward to the next games, continue to cheer for our favorite team and cheer for the great sport of football.
Football is not only a competition of skills, but also a collision of emotions. Every game is a resonance of the heart. I hope that there will be more wonderful moments in the future games, so that we can witness the charm and glory of football together.