CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN scored a stunning hat-trick to break Ireland hearts - and prove once again he is the Real deal.
The Tottenham midfielder said leading Denmark to the World Cup would eclipse the night he put Madrid to the sword earlier this month.
Former Ajax man Eriksen did just that. He was the best player on the park by a mile - and will grace the tournament in Russia in the summer. But for Martin O’Neill’s Ireland the long wait goes on. In June it will be 16 years and counting since they last appeared at the finals. While Eriksen will never forget this night, both Cyrus Christie and Stephen Ward will want to forget it as quickly as possible.
Both had moments to forget as a night that had started so positively for the home side ended in abject despair. Even Nicklas Bendtner came off the bench and scored for the visitors. The dismal first leg in Copenhagen on Saturday - and the general nature of these World Cup play-offs - meant most people expected a cagey start. Yet it was just the opposite - the noise was deafening and when the home side took an early lead the roof almost came off.
Only six minutes had gone when Robbie Brady’s free-kick caused problems in the Danish defence and Nicolai Jorgensen got his clearance all wrong. As Kasper Schmeichel raced off his line, Shane Duffy launched himself at it and got there first and nodded the ball over him into the unguarded net.
It was a scruffy goal - but Ireland didn’t care one bit. Yet amid the delight in the stands, the warning signs were there. William Kvist ran onto Simon Kjaer’s pull back and shot through a crowd of players but Darren Randolph made a superb one handed save. At the other end, Ireland could have extended it though as Cyrus Christie made a run down the right and his cross reached Daryl Murphy but his looping volley was inches wide.
Then James McClean got in down the left but flashed his shot across the face of Schmeichel but inches wide of the far post. The hosts were kicking themselves even more when the Danes equalised just before the half hour mark in fortunate circumstances. Sisto nutmegged Harry Arter to create space on the left and his low cross found Andreas Christiansen who poked the ball onto the post.
From The Sun
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