Denmark’s fairytale

• **This is the first time a team has ever survived the group stage despite losing their first two matches. It was an unusually prolific day out for the Danes, too, as it is the first time they have scored four or more goals in a major tournament game since they beat Nigeria 4-1 in the 1998 World Cup. The feat is made all the more impressive by the players overcoming the shock of Christian Eriksen's cardiac arrest during the clash with Finland.

• **As of Monday night, 11 teams had qualified for the round of 16. Italy, Belgium and Netherlands were through as group winners, while Wales, Denmark and Austria were confirmed as runners-up. Switzerland were confirmed in third place, while Czech Republic, England, Sweden and France were also confirmed as qualified, but their final placing unknown.

Despair turned to exhilaration for Denmark as they claimed an astonishing 4-1 victory over Russia to scramble into the last 16 of Euro 2020 on a head-spinning night in Copenhagen on Monday.

Nine days after Denmark's talisman Christian Eriksen needed life-saving treatment after suffering a cardiac arrest in front of a stunned Parken Stadium crowd, his team mates duly delivered on their promise to "do it for Christian".

"It's so insane that we've gone through. This team, these players. It's great to be a part of it," said Mikkel Damsgaard, the 20-year-old who has stepped into Eriksen's boots.

"I have never dreamed of being a part of something so big, so it's a great feeling."

Denmark is a nation united behind its football team after they charged into the Euro 2020 knockouts on a cathartic night in Copenhagen which sets them up well for the rest of the tournament.

Considered by many a dark horse before the Euro started thanks to a squad packed with talent, Denmark will face Wales in the last 16 and on the evidence of Monday's thrilling 4-1 thumping of Russia will be favourites to make the last eight.

Before the tournament started, coach Kasper Hjulmand said he wanted his side to "dare to dream" of going all the way as in 1992, and on Monday their resolve shone through after a rough fortnight in which the players had to deal with seeing teammate Christian Eriksen nearly die on the pitch.

Asked how he managed to hold things together for the team after they secured a spot in the next round, Hjulmand said: "I have a great team around me, great staff, great people around me, great players."

"I think the only way I can tell it is we are a unit. It's not one person, it's not me or anything else, it's a unit," he added. "We're backing each other up and that is the best within Denmark I think, the best values we can show that we stand united, we are helping each other."

Having lost their first two matches in the aftermath of Eriksen's sudden cardiac arrest midway through their opener against Finland, the Danes came into Monday's match with their tournament status in danger.

They needed eventual Group B winners Belgium to beat Finland and a win by two goals or more -- or a single-goal win by any other score than 1-0 -- over the Russians.

During the match's opening ceremony fans roared as a huge Denmark shirt with "Eriksen 10" written on it was unfurled, and Hjulmand said his team were playing in honour of their close friend. "It's hard to describe what this team has been through the past four weeks. We're thinking about Cristian all the way."