Christian Eriksen sealed a fairytale return to international football with a goal, but it was not enough to prevent Denmark from slumping to a 4-2 friendly defeat to the Netherlands.
The midfielder, playing his first international since suffering a cardiac arrest at Euro 2020, scored with his first touch after coming on as a half-time substitute on an emotional night in Amsterdam.
An entertaining game saw the Netherlands take the lead after just 16 minutes when Steven Bergwijn brilliantly headed Daley Blind’s left-wing cross into the top corner, but the Danes equalised with their next attack as Jannik Vestergaard flicked home from Joakim Maehle’s delivery.
The Dutch restored their advantage before the half-hour mark though. Manchester City defender Nathan Ake was left unmarked at the back-post and he nodded Bergwijn’s cross past Kasper Schmeichel for his third international goal.
A foul in the penalty area by Jannik Vestergaard on Berghuis allowed Memphis Depay to make it 3-1 from the spot on 39-minutes, but Denmark were back in it straight after the break as Eriksen pulled one back by brilliantly finding the far top corner.
The Danes did play with more control following their half-time substitutions, but Bergwijn settled the tie when he cut inside and curled into the far top corner to make it 4-2.
Less than a year ago, Christian Eriksen’s career looked over after he collapsed from a cardiac arrest during Euro 2020.
The midfielder, who’s played three times since joining Brentford earlier this season, came on as a substitute at the break to a standing ovation from the Amsterdam ArenA crowd, the home of his former club Ajax
Within two minutes of taking to the field he had scored, calmly curling into the far top corner with his first touch of the game to reduce Denmark’s deficit, and he was not finished there, smashing a wonderful 30-yard drive against the post mid-way through the second half.
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