Fans in Sweden and Denmark celebrated on Tuesday as both advanced to the quarterfinals of Euro 2004. The two drew 2-2 in Porto to finish level in Group C with five points each. Italy won 2-1 against Bulgaria in Guimaraes to also finish with five points, but was eliminated because of an inferior goal difference.
When Sweden’s Mattias Jonson scored the equaliser a minute before the end of the game, the crowd of 10 000 mostly Danish fans in Copenhagen’s City Hall Square froze. A small group of Swedes jumped, screamed and hugged and kissed each other.
”We still love the Danes, although we tied, because we move to the next round,” said Ulf Persson, a shopkeeper from Malmoe, Sweden.
A Danish woman, Lene Munch, unknown to Persson, kissed him as he spoke, ”We love each other.”
The mostly Danish crowd applauded loudly when Danish television announced both countries had qualified for the quarterfinals.
The fans during the game chanted the Danish national anthem, while watching the game on a giant screen in the square. Many Swedish fans were among them, wearing the yellow and blue Swedish team jersey and waving Swedish flags, happily mingling with the Danish fans.
When Jon Dahl Tomasson scored the first Danish goal in the 28th minute, the crowd jumped and people sprinkled beer and hugged each other, chanting: ”He is our man, he is our man.”
”Take that, Sweden.” they shouted.
”It is like being in Porto, we want to kick Sweden in the behind,” said Dan Sjoelin (29), a delivery driver.
In the Swedish capital Stockholm, about 4 000 mostly Swedish fans watched the game on a giant screen at the Stockholm football stadium.
Hendrik Pederson (30), a Dane living in Stockholm, sat among the Swedish fans in the stadium, wearing a red and white Danish jersey with the Danish flag painted on his forehead. He alone, in a sea of blue and yellow, stood up and cheered when Tomasson scored early in the game.
”What a fantastic goal by Tomasson. But I think we’ll both advance [Sweden and Denmark]. I believe in a Nordic final, that’s what I want to see.”
Denmark became the surprise winner of the 1992 European championship, winning its first major soccer title in Göteborg, Sweden, by defeating the world champion Germans 2-0 in a major upset.
Denmark failed to qualify for the tournament that year, but was added after Yugoslavia was removed because of United Nations sanctions against the war-torn country. — Sapa