The second friendly match for the Ukrainian national team under the leadership of Andrea Maldera took place in Odense. The "Blue and Yellows" faced the national team of Denmark. The game, which was supposed to go to the end, was prematurely stopped in the 66th minute for a serious reason: the hosts' midfielder Christian Eriksen lost consciousness.
Match progression: from caution to a blow of fate
The match began in a restrained manner. Both teams acted cautiously, trying not to allow dangerous moments near their own goals. Under such conditions, it was too early to talk about quick attacks and complex combinations. However, the Danes were the first to find a gap in the visitors' defense.
Already in the 13th minute, Denmark's left-back Dorgu moved to the center and, left unmarked, struck a powerful and accurate shot under the right post. Ukraine's goalkeeper Alexander Trubin had no chance to save it. This became the first goal conceded by the Ukrainian team under the new coach.
The situation worsened in the 36th minute. After a clear Danish combination in front of the penalty area, the goalkeeper parried a shot by a player named Høegh, but the defenders failed to notice Mele's run. On the rebound, he sent the ball into an empty net. The score became 2:0.
Ukraine's reaction
Winger Viktor Tsygankov gave hope for salvation. In the 44th minute, following a counter-attack organized by Mykolenko and a pass to Roman Yaremchuk, who hesitated on the reception, the ball ended up at Tsygankov's feet. He took advantage of the defensive error and scored into an empty net. This goal allowed the team to go into the break with hope for continued resistance.
In the second half, the coaching staff made the first substitution: Artem Dovbyk came on for Yaremchuk. The game developed with Danish dominance, while Ukrainians tried to impose a fight through counter-attacks. Before the break, the ball flew into the hosts' goal again after a header by Yaremchuk, but it was ruled offside.
Dramatic finale
In the 66th minute, tragedy struck. Danish national team midfielder Christian Eriksen lost consciousness right on the field. The referee immediately stopped the game, and doctors came onto the pitch. It is worth remembering that Eriksen had already experienced cardiac arrest in 2021 at Euro 2020, where he was saved thanks to the quick reaction of the medical staff.
This time, the footballer also regained consciousness, but the referee decided not to continue the match and blew the final whistle. The final score of the match was 2:1 in favor of Denmark.