Kazakhstan, the world’s 115th-best national team in the world, scored three late goals and staged an astonishing comeback to beat Denmark in Astana.What good is it when you’ve got “the new Haaland” in your attack if your defenders can’t keep their focus for 90 minutes?! Denmark emulated Nigeria’s shocking defeat to Guinea-Bissau to embarrass their fans and serve up one of the worst defeats in living memory. Denmark have scored five European Qualifying goals so far in 2023:⚽Rasmus Hojlund ⚽Rasmus Hojlund⚽Rasmus Hojlund⚽Rasmus Hojlund⚽Rasmus HojlundThe 20-year old now has five goals in just two starts for his country. 👏 pic.twitter.com/PrVQkcx5VP— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) March 26, 2023 The Danes were cruising in their European Championship qualifying match in Astana thanks to two first-half strikes from Atalanta’s high-flying striker Rasmus Hojlund. Still, an inexplicable fall in the second half allowed the Kazakhs a lifeline. But with 20 minutes left, Kazakhstan, ranked 115th in the world by FIFA, began to turn the tide of the match. This started with Bakhtiyar Zaynutdinov’s penalty in the 73rd minute. The nerves kicked in and led Kasper Schmeichel, Simon Kjaer and the other Danish aces to their downfall.The goal looked like it could be just a consolation until Askhat Tagybergen popped up with the equaliser in the 86th minute, three minutes before substitute Abat Aimbetov scored a header that proved to be the match-winner.What goal Kazakhstan pic.twitter.com/TNZcBN8ijQ— JLB 🔰 🇶🇦 (@JLButd) March 26, 2023 Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand has to admit that after a big setback. The downturn from the World Cup in Qatar is still haunting the team. Such a collapse indicates there is a mental block within the team. It was an unprecedented humiliation for a Danish national team when you look at the quality of the opponent.The midfield has not had the harmony and dynamism that can be expected at this level. There was simply too little coming from those sides – even with the excuse of star man Christian Eriksen being out with injury.Before this game, Kazakhstan had four straight defeats to Slovenia, UAE, Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan. They had wins in their lowly Division D of the UEFA Nations League against fellow minnows Slovakia, Belarus, Moldova and Tajikistan. Nobody could prepare the 29,000 home fans at Astana Arena for what they witnessed against officially the 18th-best nation in the FIFA rankings.
