Slovenia draw with Denmark 1:1 in their first Euro 2024 match

Stuttgart, 16 June - Slovenia earned a draw with Denmark at their opening match of Euro 2024 in Stuttgart, Germany, on Sunday. After Denmark dominated the first half, Slovenia managed to score in the second to end the game in a 1:1 draw.

Stuttgart, Germany Slovenia get a draw with Denmark in their opening match of Euro 2024 on 16 June. Photo: Jure Makovec/STA File photo

Stuttgart, Germany
Slovenia get a draw with Denmark in their opening match of Euro 2024 on 16 June.
Photo: Jure Makovec/STA
File photo

Stuttgart, Germany Slovenia get a draw with Denmark in their opening match of Euro 2024. Photo: Jure Makovec/STA

Stuttgart, Germany
Slovenia get a draw with Denmark in their opening match of Euro 2024.
Photo: Jure Makovec/STA

Stuttgart, Germany Slovenian fans at the Slovenia-Denmark game at Euro 2024. Photo: Jure Makovec/STA

Stuttgart, Germany
Slovenian fans at the Slovenia-Denmark game at Euro 2024.
Photo: Jure Makovec/STA

Stuttgart, Germany Slovenian fans at the Slovenia-Denmark game at Euro 2024. Photo: Jure Makovec/STA

Stuttgart, Germany
Slovenian fans at the Slovenia-Denmark game at Euro 2024.
Photo: Jure Makovec/STA

Stuttgart, Germany Start of the Slovenia-Denmark game at Euro 2024. Photo: dpa/STA

Stuttgart, Germany
Start of the Slovenia-Denmark game at Euro 2024.
Photo: dpa/STA

Stuttgart, Germany Slovenian head coach Matjaž Kek at the Slovenia-Denmark group stage game. Photo: Jure Makovec/STA

Stuttgart, Germany
Slovenian head coach Matjaž Kek at the Slovenia-Denmark group stage game.
Photo: Jure Makovec/STA

Stuttgart, Germany Slovenia take on Denmark in their opening match of Euro 2024. Photo: Jure Makovec/STA

Stuttgart, Germany
Slovenia take on Denmark in their opening match of Euro 2024.
Photo: Jure Makovec/STA

Stuttgart, Germany Slovenia take on Denmark in their opening match of Euro 2024. Photo: Jure Makovec/STA

Stuttgart, Germany
Slovenia take on Denmark in their opening match of Euro 2024.
Photo: Jure Makovec/STA

Stuttgart, Germany Slovenian goalkeeper Jan Oblak makes his big-tournament debut at the Slovenia-Denmark game at Euro 2024. Photo: Jure Makovec/STA

Stuttgart, Germany
Slovenian goalkeeper Jan Oblak makes his big-tournament debut at the Slovenia-Denmark game at Euro 2024.
Photo: Jure Makovec/STA

Stuttgart, Germany The Slovenian starting line-up at the Slovenia-Denmark game at Euro 2024. Photo: Jure Makovec/STA

Stuttgart, Germany
The Slovenian starting line-up at the Slovenia-Denmark game at Euro 2024.
Photo: Jure Makovec/STA

Stuttgart, Germany Slovenia take on Denmark in their opening match of Euro 2024. Photo: Jure Makovec/STA

Stuttgart, Germany
Slovenia take on Denmark in their opening match of Euro 2024.
Photo: Jure Makovec/STA

Stuttgart, Germany Slovenia take on Denmark in their opening match of Euro 2024. Photo: Jure Makovec/STA

Stuttgart, Germany
Slovenia take on Denmark in their opening match of Euro 2024.
Photo: Jure Makovec/STA

Stuttgart, Germany Slovenian fans at the Slovenia-Denmark game at Euro 2024. Photo: dpa/STA

Stuttgart, Germany
Slovenian fans at the Slovenia-Denmark game at Euro 2024.
Photo: dpa/STA

Denmark's Christian Eriksen scored in the 17th minute, but Slovenia responded with an equaliser in the 77th when Erik Janža hit the ball in a way that left Danish goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel with no chance.

The first half was dominated by Denmark, No 21 in the world, but Slovenia, No 57, which seemed to have a goal in them, stepped up in the second half, especially in the last 20 minutes of the game, and capitalised on a corner kick to earn a point with a deflection goal.

The Danes were favourites today, but not by much of a margin since the two teams won the same number of points in qualifying for the tournament. Denmark, however, finished first in the group because they were better in head-to-head matches.

In his first reaction after the game, Slovenian head coach Matjaž Kek congratulated his team. He said they did not excel all the time, as it was clear that some of his players were overwhelmed due to the importance of the match.

"We had chances already in the first half which we should have seized. But then this deflection after Janža's kick came as a reward for everything that the boys showed on the pitch," he told TV Slovenija and Sportklub as he thanked Slovenian fans in Stuttgart.

According to some estimates, there were more than 10,000 of them cheering for Slovenia at the Stuttgart Arena in addition to groups that gathered in fan zones in the city, which is home to the largest Slovenian community in Germany.

This was Slovenia's first Euro game since 2000 and their first big-tournament match since 2010, when they appeared in the World Cup.

Their next opponent will be Serbia in a face-off that will take place in Munich on Thursday. Slovenia will then take on England in Cologne on 25 June.

aaz/aaz
© STA, 2024