England 2-1 Denmark: summary, score, goals, highlights, Euro 2020
England 2-1 Denmark: Three Lions set up Euro 2020 final against Italy
Thanks for reading!
OK, we're going to close out this live feed. Italy vs England it is in the final, then. Can the Italians win their first European title since 1968? Can England win their first major gong (other than Le Tournoi, of course) since 1966? Be sure to join us on Sunday as we find out.
This is what the tournament bracket looks like now, ahead of this weekend's clash at Wembley.
Golden Boot standings: who are the top scorers?
The Euro 2020 Golden Boot is currently headed to the already jam-packed trophy cabinet of Cristiano Ronaldo.
But could the Portuguese star be caught by one of the finalists from Italy or England?
England 2-1 Denmark: match stats
Here, courtesy of our colleagues at SofaScore, are some more stats from tonight's match at Wembley.
Opta stat highlights Schmeichel heroics
Opta note that Denmark goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel kept out 2.9 England goals in tonight’s semi-final at Wembley, according to expected goals on target (xGOT) measurements. That’s more than any other keeper at the Euros in the last 41 years at least.
"What a team": UEFA lauds Denmark's Euro 2020 campaign
UEFA has rightly tweeted its praise for Denmark, whose achievement in overcoming Christian Eriksen’s collapse to come within a whisker of reaching the final is just beyond impressive. What a group of players.
"Finally"
Meanwhile, the Daily Express says simply "...And finally", the Guardian has plumped for the even simpler "Finally", and the Metro has gone with "Worth the wait!".
"History-makers" - what the front pages are saying
The front pages of Thursday's UK newspapers are appearing, with the Independent lauding England as "history-makers" after tonight's victory over Denmark, and the i describing the victory as "fairtytale football."
Gareth Southgate speaks
Digging deep to beat Denmark:
“I always felt we would get there, but I knew it might be a tortuous path […]. The great thing about this group pf players is they’ve had so many different experiences and found so many different ways to win matches in the last few years.”
Contentious penalty:
“I’ve not seen… I don’t now how the incident looks. Obviosuly there’s VAR so I’m assuming they’ve checked it and stuck with the referee’s decision.”
Final against Italy:
“We know the size of the task, we know they’ve got those two warriors at the back who have been through everything, but what a brilliant moment for us.”
Denmark:
“They ran out of steam at the end, but they’ve had an incredible tournament and I have to give my congratulations to them.”
Harry Kane speaks
England “dug deep”
“Unbelievable. What a game, a tough game, credit to Denmark. They put on a really tough game for us, but we dug deep”
“What a feeling”
“We reacted really well to going 1-0 down. A final, at home, what a feeling.”
On his penalty:
“It wasn’t the best executed penalty I’ve ever had, but that’s football. Sometimes you miss, sometimes it goes your way.”
Sunday’s final:
“It’s going to be a very tough game against Italy, but we’ve had a great tournament so far. One more game to go.”
Sterling: It was a “definite penalty”
Speaking on UK television, Raheem Sterling has insisted that England’s match-winning penalty was a spot-kick. “Was it a penalty? Yes,” he told ITV. “I went into the box and he touched my legs, so it’s a definite penalty.”
Hmm. I’m not sure, Raheem. Former England international Karen Carney has admitted on BBC Radio Five Live that she’d be upset if Denmark had been given that penalty.
“It wasn’t a pen for me,” ex-England winger Chris Waddle told the BBC.
Kane named 'Star of the Match'
UEFA have announced England's match winner, Harry Kane, as their 'Star of the Match'.
Kane moves level with Lineker
Harry Kane's winner tonight takes him to 10 career goals at major international tournaments, level with Gary Lineker's England record.
Kane is now on four goals at Euro 2020, taking him level with Karim Benzema, Emil Forsberg and Romelu Lukaku, one behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Patrik Schick, and seven behind Own Goal, the tournament's real breakout striker.
It's all over! England qualify for the final of a major tournament for the first time since 1966! They'll face Italy at Wembley for the Henri Delaunay Trophy on Sunday.
Harry Kane's winner came from what seemed like a bit of a soft penalty, but over the piece England deserved to beat a heroic but increasingly tiring Denmark.
What a tournament the Danes have had. Hats off to Kasper Hjulmand's men.
Still England keep hold of the ball, before Phillips gets his pass wrong and plays it out for a Denmark throw.
The Danes throw it forward, Maguire stooping at the edge of the England box to head it clear. Suddenly, Southgate's men then have Sterling barrelling towards a back-pedalling Danish defence, the Manchester City man skipping into shooting space in the box but seeing his strike parried by Schmeichel.
One minute of time added on. One minute between England and the final.
This is what England need to do. They keep the ball for a couple of minutes, to some (somewhat premature) olés from the home supporters.
When England clear, they almost get Kane running in on goal from the halfway line, but Schmeichel is quickly off his line to come out and boot the ball clear.
At the other end, Maehle drifts into crossing space on the left and clips a ball into the box, but after conceding a corner, England deal with it.
Braithwaite turns and shoots from just outside the England area, and Pickford has to look alive to divert the ball behind! The corner is cleared, but it's Denmark ball once more.
Shaw cuts the ball back to Henderson in the box. He wants a penalty when he's blocked off, but Makkelie isn't giving this one.
The game's now being played in the England half. It's lofted into the box to Poulsen on the left-hand edge of the area, but he's beaten to it.
Back come Denmark, though. England are sitting a little too deep for my liking. Maguire cuts out a low ball towards Braithwaite, and finally get the ball back into the Danes' half.
Sterling skips past one challenge before slipping the ball left to Kane, who tries to advance to the byline before returning the ball to Sterling in the middle, but finds his path blocked.
Denmark plop it about in the England half, before Shaw clears it up the left flank to Kane, who tries to buy a free-kick when he tumbles to the turf, but doesn't get it.
Indeed. England look to have shifted to a back three/five, with Walker stepping over from right-back to join Maguire and Stones in the middle, and Trippier and Shaw operating as right and left wing-backs, respectively.
Southgate has taken Grealish back off and brought on full-back Kieran Trippier. It appears to be a tactical change, rather than a case of Grealish having picked up an injury.
Peeeep! The final quarter of an hour is underway at Wembley.
Peeep peep peeep! Half time in extra time. England are 15 minutes from their first major final in 55 years.
Denmark bring on forward Jonas Wind for defender Jannik Vestergaard. The Danes have to go for it now.
Three minutes of stoppage time at the end of the first half of extra time.
And Kane scores the penalty from the rebound! 2-1 to England!
Schmeichel guessed right and parried Kane's low spot-kick, but the loose ball fell right at the Tottenham striker's feet, and he had an empty net to turn it into!
It's all being played in the Denmark half. Henderson again pops up in space to cross from the right, forcing Vestergaard to head it behind. Foden's corner is cleared, but England retain possession and come back at the Danes.
Sterling drives into the box and falls under Maehle's challenge... and the referee points to the spot!
It looks a little doubtful to me, but the video assistant upholds Danny Makkelie's decision.
England keep it for a couple of minutes in the Denmark half. Sterling tries to force his way into the box and, when he finds his way blocked, the loose ball falls to Henderson, whose cross is turned behind for a corner.
The corner is finally worked to Grealish, who cuts inside and stings Schmeichel's palms with a shot from the edge of the area. Grealish then lays it off for Sterling, who darts a step to the right and carves out a yard of space to strike, but blazes over!
England are well on top.
On come Henderson and Foden, Rice and Mount making way.
Kane shoots, but Schmeichel gets down quickly to parry! Walker curls a lovely low ball down the right-hand channel and into Kane's run in behind the Denmark defence, before the striker gets his toe toan effort from an acute angle. Schmeichel looks alive to turn the shoot away from goal, though.
England are getting ready to bring on Phil Foden and Jordan Henderson.
Peeeep! Extra time is underway. No changes for either side between the end of the 90 minutes and the start of the extra half hour.
Peeep peeep peep! Into extra time we go!
England were really pinning Denmark back by the end.
Still England come at Denmark, sending the ball into the box two, three times before Kane tries to turn Grealish's low pass towards goal, only for it to be blocked by Andersen.
England are pressing for a late winner, but can't find a way through. Kane does ever so well to buy a free-kick off Vestergaard on the right, which Mount delivers into the box. Maguire gets his head to the cross, but there's not much power on his effort and Schmeichel grabs hold with ease.
Phillips shoots over! Sterling again drifts into crossing space on the right of the box, before cutting it back to the top of the area, where Kane and Grealish are waiting for it. Grealish looks to be better placed to shoot, but Kane takes it off his toes and lays it off to Phillips, whose shot flies well over the bar.
England are keeping it in Denmark's half in these final minutes. Walker sends a cross into the box towards Sterling from the right, but it's blocked.
Sterling is then released into crossing space on the right-hand side of the box, but again it's cut out.
Shaw exchanges passes with Grealish before trying to barrel his way into the box, but he's run off it.
England come back at Denmark, though, Grealish again combining with Shaw before Kane tries to chest the ball down and shoot inside the box. He's shepherded wide, however, and the chance is lost.
Six minutes of time added on.
Denmark bring Mathias Jensen on for Delaney.
Wass delivers a corner from the right, but Vestergaard is deemed to have been holding on to Stones, and England have a free-kick and a chance to clear.
Grealish trues to fizz a low ball into Mount's run into the box, but it's cut out. It was nice approach play by England leading up to that point, but Grealish's attempted pass was relatively ambitious.
Denmark are preparing another change.
Denmark keep the ball for a good 90 seconds or so, knocking it about on the halfway line before working it to Delaney on the right. He cuts inside and crosses... to absolutely nobody. The ball bounces harmlessly behind.
Delaney is furious when he's penalised for a foul on Mount on the left, just as Denmark were preparing to launch a quick break.
Shaw will deliver... and Stones glances the ball well wide.
This is becoming very tense indeed.
Phillips picks the ball up 30 yards out from goal and takes aim, but his low strike is well wide of Schmeichel's right-hand post.
Christensen is replaced by Joachim Andersen.
Christensen stretches to cut out a long ball looking to release Grealish into space on the left, and in the process excarbates the thigh problem he had earlier in the half. He'll have to come off.
Delaney whips an inswinging cross into the England area from the left, but Walker shepherds it out for a goal-kick.
Just under 15 minutes to go at Wembley. Will we see a later winner?
England want a penalty when Kane tumbles to the turf under Norgaard's tackle, but after a VAR check the striker is deemed to have been the offending party in the challenge. Free-kick to Denmark.
Wass brings down Grealish on the left, and is booked for the offence. The free-kick is looped into the danger area, but Denmark get it clear.
Back come England, though, Mount sending in a cross that is slightly sliced, and almost drifts into the net over Schmeichel! The keeper has to pat it over the bar.
Just before coming off, Saka had done well to buy a yard or two send a cross into the Denmark box, but overhit his delivery.
Back in the here and now, Wass' free-kick from the right is dealt with by the England defence.
Now Gareth Southgate shuffles his pack, replacing Saka with Jack Grealish, who comes on to huge cheers from the England fans.
Kasper Hjulmand makes a triple substitution, taking off Stryger, Damsgaard and Dolberg for Poulsen, Wass and Norgaard.
Christensen is down with what looks like a thigh problem. After a good couple of minutes of attention, he is back on and, it seems, will be able to play on.
Denmark are preparing a couple of changes.
Chances for England. First, Sterling slips Shaw into space on the left-hand side of the box, and his cross across goal is almost turned into his own net by a red shirt.
Mount then has two opportunities to shoot: one when he bursts into the box on the right but finds his path to goal blocked, another when he gets the ball out of his feet on the left corner of the box and bends an effort straight at Schmeichel.
A good couple of minutes for England.
This is a very open game. Denmark respond by playing Braithwaite into a great crossing position on the right-hand byline, and Maguire has to be on his mettle to get the forward's low cross behind for a corner.
The Danes finally work the corner to Damsgaard to clip a cross to the back post from the right, but Braithwaite fires his pass well wide. The assistant's flag was up as Damsgaard's ball was deemed to have gone out before going into the box... but replays suggest it was well in.
Moments later, Dolberg turns and shoots straight at Pickford.
Great save by Schmeichel! Kane wins a free-kick on the right, which Mount delivers on to Maguire's head. His effort looks for all the world like it's sailing into the corner, but the Denmark keeper scrambles across to get a vital hand to it!
Braithwaite crosses from the right, and when Pickford comes off his line to deal with it, he doesn't get his punch clear quite right, but gets away with it. In general, England have looked far less composed today.
Dolberg draws a fine save from Pickford, turning on the edge of the box and unleashing a low, powerful effort towards the England keeper's right-hand corner. Ah, but replays show Dolberg was offside when he received the ball from Maehle.
Maguire is booked for the foul. The Manchester United defender is none too happy about it.
Kjaer is back up and looks like he'll be OK to continue.
Saka is brought down on the right wing, and England have a chance to deliver the ball into the box. Mount curls it over to the far post, where Maguire beats Kjaer to the ball, but can't head it goalwards - and is penalised for a foul on the Denmark captain. Kjaer appears to have taken a bit of a blow, and is down in a bit of discomfort.
Peeeep! We're back up and running at Wembley.
No half-time changes for either side.
691 minutes later, England concede
That Damsgaard stunner was the first time England have conceded a goal in 691 minutes of action, note football stats specialists Opta. England's defence was last breached by Jakub Moder in a 2-1 World Cup qualifying win over Poland in March.
England v Denmark: referee Danny Makkelie to officiate semi-final
Should you wish to know more about Makkelie, we've prepared this profile on tonight's man in the middle.
Peeep peeep peeep! Danny Makkelie calls time on what has been a thoroughly watchable first half. England started like an express train, before fading majorly as Denmark began to exert a greater measure of control over the game. The Danes were well worth Damsgaard's opener when it arrived - what a hit that was, by the way - but England reacted well to get themselves level, and looked reinvigorated by that equaliser when half time came.
For the first time since in about half an hour, it feels like, England keep the ball for a prolonged spell and pin Denmark back. Walker and Shaw both ping crosses into the box that are far too powerfully hit for anyone to get on the end of, but Southgate's men win it right back and push the Danes back once more. Kane tries to roll a cute little ball into Saka in the box, but Christensesn is alive to the danger and Denmark clear.
It is 1-1 now! That'll go down as a Kjaer own goal.
Kane drops deep, turns and feeds an inch-perfect through ball into the path of Saka, who advances towards the byline before cutting it back across goal. Sterling is arriving to tap it into the net, but he's beaten to it by Kjaer, who can only turn it in under pressure from the England forward.
All square at Wembley!
What a chance for Sterling! Found all alone in the box, he just has Schmeichel to beat from point-blank range - but the Leicester City keeper somehow keeps it out! That should have been 1-1.
But moments later...
Walker sends a long throw-in into the box, the ball running through to Kane at the back of the area. He twists and turns into crossing space, but the Danish backline gets it clear... and suddenly Denmark are scampering up the field on a lightning break. Hjobjerg's ball into the box isn't the best, though, and England bring it away.
Kane wins a free-kick for England some 25 yards out from goal. Mount, Sterling and Shaw are all standing over it... and Sterling slaps it straight into the wall. Kjaer gets his head to the shot.
Pickford gets his ball out from the back all wrong again, playing it right to Dolberg. Thankfuly for England, Damsgaard's attempt to flick the ball into space in the penalty box succeeds only in returning it to the England keeper.
As a certain former England manager would say of the Three Lions' current plight: this is a test. This is a real test.
And Damsgaard fires in a fabulous free-kick! Denmark lead! He steps up and pings the ball into Pickford's right-hand top corner!
Having been second-best in the opening period of the half, the Danes have really come back into it and you certainly can't begrudge them their lead.
England's run of clean sheets is at an end.
When Shaw is penalised for a foul on Christensen, one Denmark free-kick from deep leads to another Denmark free-kick in a far more dangerous position. Left of centre, 25 yards or so out...
Saka is brought down by Maehle, and England have a chance to swing it into the mixer. Swing it into the mixer they do, but Maguire can't get a good connection on the ball when he rises highest to meet the delivery. Kane then also fails to make contact with the ball it's turned back into the box.
Denmark are starting to look very dangerous going forward now. Vestergaard robs Kane cleanly on the halfway line, before the ball is worked to Damsgaard on the left-hand corner of the penalty area. He cuts inside three white shirts and curls an effort towards the far top corner, but his shot flashes just wide.
Braithwaite looks to slip a ball past Walker and into Maehle's run into the box from the left, but the Manchester City defender is in position to cut it out and play it forward. His ball up the field is no more than hoof, though. England are struggling to exert the same level of control over proceedings as they did in the first quarter of an hour.
England are no longer playing with the same attacking fluidity as before, or pressing Denmark with the same intensity as before, and the Danes are finding it easier to get their foot on the ball and knock it about.
Hjobjerg tumbles under Rice's challenge on the halfway line, and Denmark have a free-kick. Kasper Hjulmand's men had been somewhat on the back foot in the opening 15 minutes, but they're imposing themselves on the game a bit more now.
The free-kick is delivered into the box... and is massively overhit. England bring it away.
Hjobjerg gets the ball out of his feet and lets fly from just outside of the area, but it's tamely hit and is easy for Pickford.
However, the England goalkeeper gets his pass out from the back all wrong, playing it straight to Damsgaard. He shuttles it left to Braithwaite to shoot from a good position, but the Barcelona forward's effort is deflected behind. The corner is finally cleared, and England have survived a let-off there.
Kane controls 20 yards out, turns and fires at goal - but his shot is always rising over the bar.
Sterling darts inside from the left, carries the ball past Christensen and shoots from the edge of the penalty area, but he doesn't quite get hold of his strike, and it trundles through into Schmeichel's arms.
It's been a very bright start from England.
Mount plays the ball into the box from the right towards Kane, but Kjaer is alert to the danger and clears.
Back come England, though, Mount exchanging passe with Saka before barrelling into the Denmark box... but Vestergaard gets across to put it behind.
Rice sprays a long ball down the right for Saka, who's in a good position - but he can't quite bring it under control, and it dribbles over the byline for a goal-kick.
At the other end, Denmark produce their first real moment of attacking threat. After a neat interchange of passes on the right, Stryger plays it first-time in behind the England defence for Damsgaard to chase, but Maguire is quickly across to snuff out the danger.
It's an energetic, purposeful start from England, who have had most of the ball and have had the territorial domination thus far. It's worked quickly to Kane, who has peeled off to the right wing, and when he zips a low ball across Schmeichel's goalmouth, Sterling is just behind the cross and can't quite reach it.
England appeal for a pass-back. Shaw slips a pass into Mount's run into the box and, when the Chelsea man is dispossessed, Schmeichel grabs hold of the ball. Nothing to see here, says the referee.
Sterling runs at the Denmark defence down the left, but is dispossessed by Delaney. Shaw then catches Stryger late, and the visitors have a free-kick and a chance to bring it clear.
Peeeep! Match referee Danny Makkelie gets us underway! Denmark all in red, England in white shirts, blue shorts and white socks.
Out come the teams!
England and Denmark make their way out onto the field at Wembley, where the Danes' anthem is up first. As usual, a not insignificant number of the English fans boo it. Why? Utter plonkers.
As promised, there was a tribute to Christian Eriksen before the teams came out, when a giant Denmark shirt bearing the player's name and number was was unfurled on the pitch.
England vs Denmark: the Darlington derby
Curiously, both of tonight’s goalkeepers made their professional debuts for English minnows Darlington. Denmark’s Kasper Schmeichel played for the club on loan from Manchester City in 2005/06, while England keeper Jordan Pickford had a temporary spell with the Quakers in the 2011/12 campaign, when he was still coming through at Sunderland.
England vs Denmark: times, TV and how to watch online
If you're wondering how you can tune into the second Euro 2020 semi-final at Wembley, you may wish to peruse our guide on how and where to watch.
England vs Denmark: head-to-head at a glance
Here, courtesy of our friends at SofaScore, is an at-a-glance comparison of England and Denmark's records at Euro 2020 so far, and a look at their head-to-head stats.
As you can see (and as you may remember), it was the Danes who were victorious in the teams' most recent meeting, a UEFA Nations League clash at Wembley in October. Christian Eriksen's penalty was enough to see Denmark past England, who had Harry Maguire sent off in the first half.
As for the teams' last meeting at a major tournament, well that one very much went England's way. First-half goals by Rio Ferdinand, Michael Owen and Emile Heskey gave the Three Lions a 3-0 win in the last 16 of the 2002 World Cup.
England to pay tribute to Eriksen
Before kick-off at Wembley, England are to pay tribute to Christian Eriksen, who is recovering in Denmark following his collapse in his team's Euro 2020 opener against Finland last month.
"We were watching when it all happened and unfolded and I think everybody was moved and worried and anxious about what we were seeing," Gareth Southgate said on Tuesday. "So it’s brilliant to heat that he’s recovering well. And I think given the fact that he played in England as such an impressive player and person in the Premier League, I think even more so we wanted to have that recognition for him and his family."
What the coaches said: Kasper Hjulmand, Denmark
Denmark’s underdogs tag:
“I think we are in a phase with the Danish national team where we move a little bit away from always being underdogs. With the quality we have, with the results we’ve been having, the way we play. We try to take the initiative in the matches, whoever is on the other side of the pitch. And we will try to be proactive, we will try to play with courage. We always do that, and play forward and try to score the next goal. But of course, in a match like this at Wembley, against England, we will be the team that… I don’t like the ‘underdog’ mentality, but we are for sure not the favourites, of course. But our mentality is not to play football like underdogs, just defending and hoping. No, our mentality is to try to take control and be proactive as much as possible, while knowing that the opponents are strong and in phases of the game we just have to work very hard to defend. Our mindset is not like an underdog, our mindset is to try to create and attack and be proactive. Our mentality is not like we are watching the opponents and thinking: Oh, these guys are better than we are.”
Belief:
“We have a fantastic squad, we have some great players with great quality, and [...] a fantastic mentality. And we’ve shown not only now, not only in the last games, but for a long time, that we are very difficult to beat, and the opponents have to be very good to beat us. And it’s not just something that happened overnight. This is something that has built in the squad for quite some time, and we just believe in ourselves, we believe in what we do, we believe in our qualities and we respect our opposition. It’s a great team, England, it’s a great team. But still, we still believe in what we can do and we’ll give everything.”
How the Christian Eriksen incident has galvanised Denmark:
“We lost our best offensive player in Christian, and I don’t think it’s an advantage to play without Christian. But of course something happened, and especially the support and the compassion we have been given from the Danish people is really something that makes us do as much as we can. I was very unsure what we were able to do against Belgium in the first match [after Eriksen's on-field collapse] and secondly against Russia, because it was very difficult times emotionally, but I think the compassion of the people of Denmark, the whole population, gave us the reason, the meaning of fighting and doing our best. And of course that purpose and that meaning is very, very important when you play. And for us sure it animates us to keep going, and we want to give back some moments and some victories for the people of Denmark, because right now we are closely linked, the team and the people of Denmark.”
(Photo: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
What the coaches said: Gareth Southgate, England
Pressure on England:
“We’ve had expectation during the whole tournament and I think we’ve dealt with that really well in the opening game, for example, and in the game with Germany. But we’ve never been to a final, so the pressure is what you choose it to be really. I think it’s a motivating thing, it’s a challenge for us. If we were a country that had won five titles and we had to match what had gone before, it might feel differently, but we’re not. Denmark have won it, so maybe there’s more pressure on Denmark to replicate that.”
How England’s preparations for this semi-final have differed from their last-four tie at World Cup 2018:
“It definitely feels different this time in that the first time around, the World Cup was a very emotional journey for us. We hadn’t won a knockout game for 10 years or something like that and the night with Colombia where we won that knockout game, we won a penalty shoot-out, was highly emotional. Then we had the quarter-final with Sweden, which again, first time in a semi-final for 35 years or whatever, so it has felt different this time in that we expected ourselves to get to this point. We’ve had that internal aim. We’ve been not celebrating the victories in not quite the same way. We’ve moved on to the next challenge quickly and it was the same after the game in Rome […]. Our focus was very quickly on the game against Denmark.”
Banishing the memories of his semi-final heartbreak at Euro 96:
“It’s not about what it is for me, it’s about what it is for the players, all of the staff and for our country. We don’t have as good a football history as we like to believe sometimes and these players are making massive strides and breaking barriers all the time. We’ve broken barriers in this tournament and we have another opportunity to do that tomorrow. We’ve never been to a European Championship final, so we can be the first, which is really exciting for everybody. We respect the Danes. I obviously am old enough to remember them winning it [in 1992]. I watched that tournament and I watched them going back to the World Cup in 1986. That's the first Danish team I remember, with Preben Elkjaer and [Michael] Laudrup and Soren Lerby and Jesper Olsen, so I’ve always been a fan of the players that Denmark have produced. I think their football is incredible: the individual players but also the teams that they’ve produced for the size of the population that they have.”
(Photo: REUTERS/Lee Smith)
England and (some) Denmark supporters arrive at Wembley Stadium for tonight's match.
(Photo: Niklas HALLE'N / AFP)
Saka in for England, Denmark unchanged
There has been no end of discussion over whether England boss Gareth Southgate would stick with the 4-2-3-1 formation from the Ukraine win or revert to the 3-4-3 that saw the Three Lions past Germany, and in the end it's the former.
There's only one change in personnel, Bukayo Saka replacing Jadon Sancho on the wing.
As for Denmark, Kasper Hjulmand has named the same XI that started the quarter-final victory over the Czech Republic, the Danes lining up in their customary 3-4-3.
(Photo: Pool via REUTERS/John Sibley)
Denmark team news
Starting line-up: Schmeichel, Christensen, Kjaer, Vestergaard, Stryger, Hojbjerg, Delaney, Maehle, Braithwaite, Damsgaard, Dolberg
England team news
Starting line-up: Pickford, Walker, Stones, Maguire, Shaw, Phillips, Rice, Saka, Mount, Sterling, Kane
England vs Denmark: premable (ctd)
Indeed, England may go into this game as favourites - a tag which, given their purposeful progress through the tournament and the fact they’ll have the vast majority of the 60,000 crowd on their side, isn’t unjustified - but it is Denmark who boast the greater European Championship pedigree.
The Danes have also been to two Euros semi-finals before - but, unlike England, they made it through one of them, against the Netherlands in 1992, and went on to lift the trophy in Sweden, stunning then-World Cup holders Germany in the final.
This is the first time since that triumph 29 years ago that Denmark have got this far at a tournament, and the spirit and talent they have shown since the traumatic events of their opening game in Copenhagen suggest we might just be witnessing another surprise charge to the European title.
After all, Kasper Hjulmand’s side, who clinched their semi-final berth with a 2-1 win over the Czech Republic in Baku, have scored no fewer than 10 goals in their last three games. This will be a stiff examination for England’s as yet unbreached defence.
Anyway, team news is in, so let's get straight to that.
England vs Denmark: preamble
Hello! Welcome to our live coverage of the second Euro 2020 semi-final, as England and Denmark face off at Wembley for the right to return to the stadium on Sunday and fight it out with Italy for the Henri Delaunay Trophy.
The Italians booked their spot in this weekend's final by edging out Spain on penalties at the end of a thrilling last-four tie yesterday.
For England, it has been a tournament of firsts: their first knockout win over Germany since 1966; their first knockout win in 90 minutes at a European Championship; the first time they (or anybody else, for that matter) have kept clean sheets in their opening five games at a Euros…
Now, after dispatching Ukraine 4-0 in Saturday’s quarter-final in Rome, they have the chance to reach their first ever Euros final and, in the process, end a 55-year wait for an appearance in a major-tournament trophy decider.
Since being crowned world champions in 1966, they have made it to two World Cup semi-finals and two Euros semi-finals, and have lost the lot.
(Photo: Laurence Griffiths and Naomi BAKER / various sources / AFP)