One moment was all Christian Eriksen needed. Peripheral for much of the contest, unable to set the tempo like usual, he brought calm at the crucial point.
It was Eriksen’s delicious pass that set up the only goal of this game and won Denmark three points they were fortunate to collect.
The fact Kasper Schmeichel delivered one of his best matches in a Danish shirt tells you why a thoroughly vibrant Peru deserved to end their first World Cup game in 36 years as victors.
Denmark’s Yussuf Poulsen scores their first goal in the 59th minute of the World Cup Group C game against Peru on Saturday
Poulsen crisply finished at the near post with his left foot following a counter-attack and an assist by Christian Eriksen
Poulsen celebrates after scoring Denmark’s first goal against Peru in the second half of the group game, which was the winner
Denmark’s Poulsen fouled Peru’s Christian Cueva in the penalty area towards the end of the first half of Group C match
Peru were awarded a penalty at the end of first half following a video assistant review after the foul on Cueva in the box
Cueva stepped up to take the penalty but he skied the ball over the bar to leave the game 0-0 heading into the break
Denmark goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel dived the opposite way to where Cueva hit the ball but his effort was not on target
Schmeichel celebrates after Cueva’s penalty miss kept the score level at half-time at the Mordovia Arena on Saturday
Schmeichel made six saves, some of excellent quality, to extend an unbeaten record for his country to 534 minutes. He was not required when Peru were awarded a first-half penalty via VAR though. Christian Cueva skied the ball from the spot and his tears at the final whistle spoke of the deep feelings only this kind of stage can stir.
Not since 1982 had Peru been at a World Cup and that absence seemed to feed an energy they took into the game.
Schmeichel, the Leicester goalkeeper, summoned a fine save early on when Watford winger Andre Carrillo struck a firm low shot at the end of a fluid attack.
Substitute Paolo Guerrero almost equalised late on with a clever back heel but his effort just went wide of the post
Schmeichel saves a shot from Peru’s Jefferson Farfan late on in the match to deny Peru from equalising and securing a point
Peru’s forward Farfan (left) saw his effort on goal deflected by Denmark defender Simon Kjaer in the first half of the match
Referee Bakary Gassama gestures to the bench for medics as Denmark’s midfielder William Kvist lies injured on the pitch
Kvist is taken off the pitch on a stretcher after sustaining an injury during the first half of the World Cup Group C fixture
Then on the stroke of half-time the video assistant referee proved influential for the second time in Group C. The system that had awarded France a penalty earlier in the day did the same for Peru.
Initially Gambian referee Bakary Gassama allowed play to continue when Cueva fell having checked back inside Yussuf Poulsen. But called to study the replay, Gassama saw the trip to Cueva’s back boot and pointed to the spot.
Yet the pressure got to Cueva, who went on a long run-up, paused for a momentary shuffle, then leant back and sent the ball well over the bar. At the break Cueva, clearly affected, was swamped in encouragement from his team-mates on the pitch.
His miss was made to count in the 59th minute when Denmark played Peru at their own game. The masters of counter-attack were unpicked on the break as Pione Sisto fed Eriksen, who strode forward and slipped the perfect pass to Poulsen at just the right moment.
Peru’s midfielder Renato Tapia (second right) is shown a yellow card by referee Gassama during the first half of the game
Andre Carrillo of Peru (second right) fires a shot at goal during the first half of the Group C match between Peru and Denmark
Henrik Dalsgaard of Denmark and Edison Flores of Peru battle for the ball during the first half at the Mordovia Arena in Russia
Played onside by Miguel Trauco, Poulsen took one touch with his right and finished with his left. He continued his run to celebrate in front of the band of Danish fans in the stand behind.
It was the 17th goal Eriksen had contributed in his last 14 internationals.
Two minutes later Peru nearly levelled. Edison Flores found space on the left and hit the ball with power, but Schmeichel was excellent again in diving to beat clear with his forearm.
Peru’s midfielder Tapia (left) plays the ball past Denmark’s forward Pione Sisto (right) during the Group C encounter
Peru’s Yoshimar Yotun in action with Denmark’s Kvist during the opening stages of the Group C clash on Saturday evening
Nicolai Jorgensen of Denmark (left) and Alberto Rodriguez of Peru challenge for ball in the air during the opening exchanges
Peru’s Luis Advincula in action with Denmark’s Sisto during the first half of the World Cup Group C match on Saturday evening
Peru sent on talisman Paolo Guerrero and the chances kept coming. Guerrero drew a save from Schmeichel with a header and then saw the ball slip just wide after the most innovative of backheel finishes.
Carrillo summoned another flash down the right and crossed to Farfan, whose effort was cleared off line by a scrambling Schmeichel.
As Peru pushed on, Denmark broke and Eriksen had a great chance to make victory certain but his finish was too close to Gallese. It didn’t matter, Tottenham’s maestro had already struck the meaningful note.