Group B: Belgium win. A heart defibrillator for the Dane Lukaku’s long hug to technical commissioner Hjulmand
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It was the noblest way to lose a game: running with boundless generosity without calculating when your strength would run out. The Danish mission did not contemplate saving strategies: beating Belgium, number one in the FIFA ranking, to give a smile to Christian Eriksen, in the hospital five hundred meters from the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen.
Coach Hjulmand, captain Kjaer and the other lions on the pitch, the 25,000 fans in the stands and all of Denmark have once again shown that they want an infinite good for the prince with a sick heart. It had become even more precious to make him cheer in front of the television, after the announcement of the need to implant a defibrillator to guarantee a life without risk to the Inter midfielder.
An intervention that almost certainly puts an end to his career as a football player in Italy (“Damn, I’m only 29,” he said on waking up on Saturday fearing this epilogue). It is very difficult to have sporting fitness in a country that has the strictest regulations in Europe, but elsewhere it is not impossible: the Dutch Daley Blind, Eriksen’s partner at Ajax, continued to play with a defibrillator similar to the one that doctors of Rigshospitalet will immediately install to the midfielder.
The Danish players were very moving. In the first half they chased the Belgians everywhere, annihilating them. Poulsen gave the red and white the lead after just two minutes. Thus Eriksen was able to experience the endless applause of the 10 ‘with the joy of 1-0, when the game stopped in homage to his jersey number.
“Denmark is all with you,” read a banner. Referee Kuipers also cheered for a long time. People sang and cried at the same time. The red and white have continued in their battle fought for the friend who deserves everything. Until the energies ran out, thanks to the changes of Roberto Martinez who included De Bruyne, Eden Hazard and Witsel.
The Manchester City champion drew Thorgan Hazard’s equalizer assist and signed the overtaking goal with two dizzying moves. Belgium are in the round of 16, Denmark must hope for the last match against Russia when Eriksen is out of the hospital. Eventually Lukaku hugged coach Hjulmand for a long time. All in the name of Christian. –