Christian Eriksen scores for Denmark on return to Copenhagen’s Parken Stadium

Christian Eriksen scored a brilliant goal as he made a triumphant return to the Parken Stadium where he almost died of a cardiac arrest last June, netting Denmark’s third in a 3-0 friendly win over Serbia on Tuesday.

Eriksen, who scored with his first touch after coming on as a substitute in the 2-4 friendly defeat against the Netherlands in Amsterdam on Saturday, was guaranteed a warm welcome at the stadium that fell into shocked silence when he collapsed in the Euro 2020 group game against Finland.

Joakim Maehle gave the Danes the lead with a thumping deflected drive in the 15th minute and Jesper Lindstrøm added a second eight minutes after the break as the home side enjoyed the better chances.

Captaining the team, Eriksen gave the vocal Danish crowd what they wanted in the 57th minute, cutting on to his right foot and firing in a fizzing drive at the opposite end of the pitch to where he collapsed.

Still building his fitness after restarting his club career at Brentford in February, Eriksen had his name chanted by the crowd as he was replaced in the 80th minute with Kasper Schmeichel kissing him on the head as he handed over the captain’s armband.

Having failed to register a single shot on target until the 88th minute, Serbia will be hoping that they can improve their wayward shooting before both sides head for the World Cup finals in Qatar, which begin in November.