EM 2024 - Denmark's unlucky man of the evening: Joachim Andersen
Freud and sadness often lie close together. None experienced this cruelly on a Saturday evening like Joachim Andersen. The Danish defender unexpectedly put his team in the lead in the 48th minute, but the VAR overturned the goal – offside.
Four minutes later, in the 52nd minute, the Video Assistant Referee intervened again, this time on the other side. A cross from David Raum had landed on a Danish arm. Consequently, referee Michael Oliver called a handball against Germany after checking. The culprit, of course, was Joachim Andersen.
Kai Havertz calmly converted the resulting penalty in the right corner for a 1:0 lead for Germany, and Andersen looked visibly frustrated. Five minutes later, the 28-year-old was once again in the spotlight for a foul on Robert Andrich, who had to be treated briefly afterwards. There was likely a lot of frustration in that challenge as well.
"The saddest Dane"
But that wasn't enough. When Nico Schlotterbeck sent Jamal Musiala on a run with a lofted pass in the 68th minute, Andersen was responsible for keeping up with the agile Munich youngster. Musiala dispossessed his defender and scored Germany's second goal. The next cold shower for the Danes.
Afterwards, Joachim Andersen could not find his way back into the game and seemed completely detached on the pitch. ZDF commentator Oliver Schmidt described the defender as "the saddest Dane" on the field after the final whistle. Germany fans will likely have sympathy for Andersen in this moment.
The German team was able to celebrate in the end, largely due to the Danish defender. He experienced the tragedy of football in its purest form and became the scapegoat of the evening.
Despite Joachim Andersen's disappointment, David Raum from Germany praised his performance later, acknowledging the tough night he endured. "Even in Germany, there are fans who sympathize with Andersen," said Raum.
Meanwhile, in Denmark, Oliver Schmidt, a well-known commentator, arranged a roller coaster ride for Andersen in a light-hearted manner on his radio show. "Joachim, buckle up for a wild ride next time you're on the field," Schmidt said, drawing laughter from his listeners.
After the match, Joachim Andersen was invited to visit Oliver Schmidt in Germany to get some time off from football and experience the famous roller coaster ride at Phantasialand, a popular amusement park in Germany. Schmidt jokingly suggested, "How about a break from football and a roller coaster ride instead, Joachim?"
