Title contender Belgium kept their perfect record at the European Football Championship and prevented debutant Finland from advancing directly. The World Cup third from national coach Roberto Martínez won the last group game in St. Petersburg on Monday evening with 2-0 (0-0) and thus secured victory in Group B. Finland, on the other hand, remains in third place after one win and two defeats and will now have to wait to see if the four best thirds in the group will be enough. Switzerland (four points) and Ukraine (better goal difference) are already ahead of the Finns.
In front of around 22,000 spectators, Finland's strong keeper Lukas Hradecky (74th) scored an own goal and Belgium's ace striker Romelo Lukaku (81st) scored the goals for the Belgians, who had a long time with the rebellious opponent and who scored a goal Lukaku (65) was stripped after video evidence.
Second place in the group went to the previously pointless Danes, who won the parallel game in Copenhagen 4-1 (1-0) against Russia and thus overtook both opponents.
The three-way comparison tipped the balance in favor of the Danes over the Finns and the Russians.
For the co-favorite in red, the game in St. Petersburg on a hot, humid summer evening was a special one, even apart from the complicated table constellation: Superstar Kevin De Bruyne (after facial surgery), captain Eden Hazard (after ankle problems) and Dortmund's Axel Witsel (after Achilles tendon rupture) were all for the first time in this tournament in the starting line-up.
Hazard had not started for Belgium since November 2019 due to numerous complicated injuries and a corona infection.
For Martínez, this targeted test run with the three returnees was also possible because progress was already certain after two victories.
The goal: to rehearse the emergency for the knockout round, which begins for Belgium on Sunday evening (9 p.m.) in Seville.
The sonorous names, however, promised a bigger spectacle than they initially held.
Instead, loud “Suomi” shouts from the fans of the tournament debutant echoed through the modern arena when an intrepid Finn once again threw himself into a direct duel with the multi-million dollar footballers for world footballer candidate De Bruyne.
There were no clear scoring chances for the third place in the World Cup in the first half hour, instead the Finns lived up to their reputation as a brave and difficult to beat team.
In the midst of the white nights of St. Petersburg, an exciting football match developed in which neutral spectators also cheered: Here the running star ensemble, there the underdogs fighting bravely for the one point they need.
Witsel tried several times from a distance, but remained safe.
Striker Romelu Lukaku, who normally knows how to crack any defense, was only able to prevail once in the first half: Leverkusen's goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky (37th) caught his header, who a short time later also caught a treacherous blow from storm talent Jérémy Doku (42nd). ) severely defused.
After the change, the picture was the same: Finland was down, defended vigorously and without giving up.
Again and again the often thwarted Hazard and his colleagues quarreled because they were only left with harmless long-range shots as an emergency solution.
It was only when the unfortunate Hradecky deflected a rebound from the post into his own goal that the preliminary decision had been made.