Denmark edge through as runners-up as Serbia exit after tame draw

The occasion was notable for Christian Eriksen winning his 133rd cap, a record for a male Danish player, and … that was about it.

Serbia had threatened to withdraw from the Euros last week. Two games later, they have exited anyway. This will be met with general shrugs. Denmark and Eriksen have prolonged their stay in Germany. Still, it was impossible to watch the Danes here – functional, physical, little nuance – and foresee them making impact beyond the last 16. Denmark will argue with a degree of legitimacy that it was Serbia who needed to win here but there was literally nothing from either team worth getting excited by.

Without Luka Jovic’s 95th minute equaliser against Slovenia , Dragan Stojkovic’s team were staring down the barrel of group stage elimination. The job of the Serbs here was to capitalise upon what many would say was their good fortune in that fixture. Stojkovic, somewhat curiously, dropped Filip Mladenovic, Dusan Vlahovic and Dusan Tadic.

Serbia do not have many better players than this trio. Stojkovic was such a cultured footballer that it is amusing now to see him leap about on touchlines like a cat on a hot tin roof.

A tame opening – and game of you show me yours, I’ll show you mine – was punctured by an Eriksen snapshot from 19 yards which Predrag Rajkovic had to move smartly to turn behind. Denmark had the ball in the net from the second of two subsequent corners but Eriksen had bent the ball out of play before it reached Rasmus Højlund. Novak Djokovic, who had belted out the Serbian anthem, looked on.

What little football appeared in the opening half came from Denmark. Serbia’s game was of containment. Højlund tested Rajkovic with a low drive. Jonas Wind blasted a 39th minute shot over the bar when composure was called for. Aleksandar Mitrovic, the focal point for Serbia in attack, was peripheral to the point where he may only have had two touches.

A strange scene played out pre-match, where the giant flags of the competing nations were waved directly in front of the opposition’s support rather than their own. This proved a metaphor for what was to come; the first period was messy and lacking in cohesion.

The flat atmosphere reflected this. Serbia’s play was especially ragged. It was a timely humanitarian gesture that the match officials only added on one minute.

Tadic and Jovic appeared from the bench for the start of the second half, in a clear nod to the fact Serbia required impetus. This lifted the spirits of the Serbian fans if nothing else. Their previously noticeable contribution had been to toss a few beer cups roughly in the direction of Eriksen as he took a corner.

It was a Danish replacement, though, who almost broke the deadlock. Andreas Skov Olsen cut in from the right but watched his drive deflected wide.

Next, an incredible thing happened; Serbia attacked with purpose. A slick move resulted in Joachim Andersen shanking the ball into his own net. The assistant referee flagged for an offside against Tadic in the buildup.

A check confirmed the right call had been made on the field. Cue more flying beer cups and Tannoy messages for Serbian fans to desist. No tournament would miss this regular missile throwing. The Uefa tax – a fine – will follow in due course.

Denmark replaced Højlund with Anderlecht’s Kasper Dolberg. Perhaps they felt a point at least was safe here, with last 16 qualification alongside it. A defender should have sent them into the lead, Jannik Vestergaard instead planting a free header right into the hands of Rajkovic.

Serbian desperation grew into the closing stages. Mitrovic looped a tame header towards goal, shortly before flinging himself to the ground in a flawed attempt to win a penalty. More beer cups, which Kasper Schmeichel took time to remove from his penalty area one by one.

Mitrovic was booked for his protestations. Schmeichel really was not troubled at all despite Serbia seeking salvation.

A pitch invader interrupted matters having managed to run 75 yards before being hauled to the ground. It had been that kind of wholly unsatisfactory evening. And, hopefully, one never to be spoken of again.

Denmark: Schmeichel, Andersen, Vestergaard, Christensen, Bah (Delaney 77), Hjulmand (Kristiansen 77), Hojbjerg, Maehle, Eriksen (Poulsen 88),Wind (Skov Olsen 46), Hojlund (Dolberg 59).

Serbia: Rajkovic, Veljkovic, Milenkovic, Pavlovic, Mijailovic (Mladenovic 73), Ilic (Vlahovic 67), Gudelj (Jovic 46), Zivkovic, Samardzic (Tadic 46), Lukic (Sergej Milinkovic-Savic 87), Mitrovic.

Referee: Francois Letexier (France).