Eriksen hattricks as Denmark routs Ireland to reach WC

Denmark trailed to an early Shane Duffy header but took control immediately and struck twice in three minutes, first when Andreas Christensen’s stabbed effort on the half hour mark hit the post and went in off Ireland’s Cyrus Christie. 

That was followed by a superbly swept home second from Eriksen, who then made sure of victory with a left-footed effort on 64 minutes and completed his hat trick following poor defending 10 minutes later. 

Nicklas Bendtner added a late penalty for the Danes, which reached its fifth World Cup having been frustrated by a well-organised Irish display in a scrappy goalless first leg.

“We were well beaten in the end, no question about that... The goals were so sloppy,” Ireland manager Martin O‘Neill told. It had all looked so different for Ireland when Duffy took advantage of some poor defending to put the hosts ahead.

Nicolai Jorgensen sliced an innocuous long free kick towards his own goal and into the path of the Brighton and Hove Albion defender who beat Kasper Schmeichel to the ball and sent the packed Aviva Stadium wild.

Denmark refused to panic, however, sewing fears among the home fans that it scored too early as Ireland keeper and first leg man-of-the-match Darren Randolph saved well from William Kvist and Pione Sisto after his defence was carved open. Ireland tried not to sit back and contributed to the blistering start with two quick chances of its own with big striker Daryl Murphy rippling the side netting with a deft flick and James McClean dragging a shot wide. 

Ireland boss O‘Neill predicted his side would need to score two goals to end its 16-year World Cup appearance drought. 

Stephen Ward then carelessly lost the ball on the halfway line and it made its way to Eriksen whose edge-of-the-box strike went in off the crossbar.