Hojlund the hero as Danes draw 1-1 with Slovenia

LJUBLJANA: Denmark's Rasmus Hojlund netted his sixth goal in six internationals as they recovered to grab a 1-1 draw away to Slovenia in their Group H Euro 2024 qualifier on Monday (Jun 19).

Finland, who earlier hammered bottom side San Marino 6-0, top the group level on nine points with Kazakhstan in second ahead of Denmark and Slovenia in third and fourth respectively, both on seven. Northern Ireland are fifth with three points.

It was a much-needed point for the Danes, who threw away a two-goal lead and lost 3-2 to Kazakhstan earlier in the campaign, but they were still far short of their best in an entertaining game that saw the home side frustrate them.

After a tight, tense opening, the Slovenians broke the deadlock in the 25th minute with a brilliantly-executed corner that saw Adam Cerin pull the ball back for Andraz Sporar to drive it past goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel.

In a repeat of the kind of lapse in concentration that saw Denmark go home after the group stage at last year's World Cup in Qatar, a loose pass by Schmeichel almost let Slovenia in for a second nine minutes later but the keeper recovered to pluck the ball out of the air with a Slovenian forward lurking.

The 20-year-old Hojlund, who has been linked with a move from Italian Serie A side Atalanta to a host of top European clubs, brought the Danes level just before the break with the kind of goal that will only add to his list of suitors.

Frustrated by the lack of service, he went foraging outside the box before stealing back into the middle to rifle home Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's low pass for his sixth international goal, all of which have come in this qualifying campaign.

In the second half, an ill-advised backheel from captain Simon Kjaer almost gifted the