Euro 2024,
Thursday, 20 June, 2024
McCreadie
England spurned their first opportunity to reach the 2024 UEFA European Championship knockout rounds after they produced an underwhelming performance to draw 1-1 with Denmark in Frankfurt, ensuring it will be all to play for in the final group game.
After scoring an early goal in the 1-0 win over Serbia, the Three Lions made another impressive start against Denmark, requiring just 18 minutes to break the deadlock in Frankfurt.
Kyle Walker was the architect, showing great persistence to win the ball high up the pitch before his cross diverted into the path of Harry Kane, who produced a simple finish to become the third England player to score in four different major tournaments.
However, England failed to build upon Kane’s 64th international strike, adopting a passive approach before they were ultimately punished by Morten Hjulmand’s 34th-minute piledriver.
The midfielder was given ample time to wind up a fierce long-range shot, fizzing it in off the post to send the Danish contingent into raptures.
Following a disappointing end to the first period, England offered a positive response in the opening stages of the second half.
In his final act before being replaced by Conor Gallagher, Trent Alexander-Arnold produced a sublime long pass to pick out Bukayo Saka, who could only steer his header into the side netting from a narrow angle.
Not long after, Phil Foden nearly caught Kasper Schmeichel off guard, crashing the ball off the upright with a powerful strike from the edge of the box.
Those brief moments of promise could not dissuade Gareth Southgate from making further changes, introducing Jarrod Bowen, Eberechi Eze and Ollie Watkins in one fell swoop.
The latter was soon involved in the thick of the action, racing onto Jude Bellingham’s defence-splitting pass before forcing Schmeichel into a near-post stop.
England were quickly reminded they needed to remain vigilant at the opposite end of the pitch, with Jordan Pickford diving at full stretch to keep Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg at bay.
Hojbjerg then unleashed another long-range strike after capitalising on a Bellingham error, leaving a relieved Pickford to watch the ball whistle wide of his goal.
England ultimately had to be content with a point, which still leaves them top ahead of their final group game against Slovenia, while Denmark are left in third spot with two points to their name.