Dane Eriksen's fairy-tale Euro comeback spoilt by Slovenia in draw

16 June 2024 - 20:17 By Philip O'Connor
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Christian Eriksen of Denmark applauds the fans at full-time after their Uefa Euro 2024 group stage draw against Slovenia at Stuttgart Arena on Sunday.
Christian Eriksen of Denmark applauds the fans at full-time after their Uefa Euro 2024 group stage draw against Slovenia at Stuttgart Arena on Sunday.
Image: Clive Mason/Getty Images

Denmark's Christian Eriksen crowned a remarkable return to the European Championship with a goal 1,100 days after suffering a cardiac arrest but Slovenia snatched a 1-1 draw in an entertaining Euro 2024 Group C opener on Sunday.

Eriksen, who collapsed to the turf in the first half of Denmark's first Euro 2020 game against Finland in Copenhagen, collected a clever flick from Jonas Wind and fired home to give his side the lead in the 17th minute.

Eriksen could have added to his tally but blazed a pair of left-footed efforts wide of the target, and the Danes should have had a second goal midway through the second half but Jan Oblak managed to swat Rasmus Hojlund's close-range effort away.

Those misses were to prove costly. Slovenia's striker Benjamin Sesko thumped a shot off the post and a minute later defender Erik Janza scored with a deflected shot that wrong-footed Kasper Schmeichel as they grabbed a share of the spoils. 

Reuters

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