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

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.