Denmark find form to thrash North Macedonia and move one game from World Cup

[p]The hosts completely dominated the first half, as [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/north-macedonia/GrTQ3oHB/"]North Macedonia[/a] hardly had any shots on their goal. Stole [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dimitrievski-stole/2axfsTHA/"]Dimitrievski[/a] was certainly the busier of the two goalkeepers, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hermansen-mads/fq8hQjAg/"]Mads Hermansen[/a] standing in for the injured [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/schmeichel-kasper/WM5fllIl/"]Kasper Schmeichel[/a] for the Danes.[/p][p]Nonetheless, it was [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/maehle-joakim/QscOyy8Q/"]Joakim Mæhle[/a] who had the game’s first meaningful chance, but after finding his way into the penalty box, Dimitrievski pulled off a decent stop. [/p][p]However, Hermansen had to make an even better save to keep out [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/churlinov-darko/OhNz5XBm/"]Darko Churlinov[/a]’s dangerous free-kick, which acted as a small warning sign.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bah-alexander/Kn1rziON/"]Alexander Bah[/a] struck just wide before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hojbjerg-pierre-emile/ITwS8wMo/"]Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg[/a] tested Dimitrievski again, but Denmark could not find the breakthrough before the break.[/p][p]However, the Danes did not have to wait long into the second half to finally take the lead for the fifth time in seven home matches, and it was [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/damsgaard-mikkel/WIxH5hxa/"]Mikkel Damsgaard[/a] who got the ball rolling by firing a rebound into the corner.[/p][p]The [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brentford/xYe7DwID/"]Brentford[/a] man then turned provider for Gustav Isaksen, who controlled his cross before striking in off the post to send his team on their way.[/p][p]A quickfire double from the winger then made sure of victory before the hour mark, as he too capitalised on a rebound inside the box.[/p][image alt="Denmark - North Macedonia match stats" id="ac2d824b-d3f7-4f48-b3e7-100c766a518d" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="852d4ba4-267c-4389-93dd-7ef74f579ee9" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hojlund-rasmus/0lk9Mt7D/"]Rasmus Højlund[/a] wanted to get in on the act as Denmark’s top scorer in qualifying, but he lashed an effort wide as the match approached its latter stages.[/p][p]The Danes did add a fourth, though, as two veterans and former Brentford teammates combined, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/eriksen-christian/nBRuYbqs/"]Christian Eriksen[/a] finding [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/norgaard-christian/E3lsxLi7/"]Christian Nørgaard[/a] from a corner, and the now [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/arsenal/hA1Zm19f/"]Arsenal[/a] midfielder producing a bullet header into the net. [/p][p]As a result, North Macedonia’s dream of reaching a first-ever World Cup finals comes to an end, with the Lions well and truly tamed here. [/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/isaksen-gustav/d0vohCHH/"]Gustav Isaksen[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/denmark/0KUdxQVi/"]Denmark[/a])[/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/denmark-0KUdxQVi/north-macedonia-GrTQ3oHB/summary/stats/?mid=IigYMdQH"]Check out all the match stats with Flashscore.[/a][/p]