An even contest in Frankfurt ended with the points shared after Morten Hjulmand responded to Harry Kane’s opener for England.
Morten Hjulmand celebrates his equaliser for Denmark
Denmark and England played out a tight 1-1 draw in their Group C encounter in Frankfurt, Harry Kane breaking the deadlock before Morten Hjulmand equalised from long range.
Key moments
1′: Højbjerg with first shot on target
12′: Foden curler goes wide
18′: Kane puts England ahead
34′: Hjulmand levels from distance
56′: Foden hits post with powerful shot
70′: Schmeichel denies Watkins
84′: Christensen skies close-range effort
Match in brief: Victory eludes both teams
Pierre-Emile Højbjerg’s shot on target within the very first minute seemed to promise an end-to-end contest, but what soon transpired was an England team controlling possession and scant opportunities for either side. The Three Lions eventually upped the tempo, however, and after a good chance for Phil Foden, Harry Kane buried a diverted cross from close range.
Harry Kane beats Kasper Schmeichel to put England in front
After that, Denmark began cranking up the pressure – and they reaped the benefits. Morten Hjulmand chose the perfect moment to score his first international goal, equalising with an exquisite long-range strike into the bottom corner.
Denmark created the first chance of the second half too, with Jonas Wind’s shot being blocked. The Danes enjoyed some spells of fluid possession, dictating the pace of the game, but it was England who went closest to adding to the scoreline, with a Foden shot coming back off a post.
Both coaches made changes in an attempt to eke out victory, and substitute Ollie Watkins – on for Kane – had a chance to find the net swiftly after coming on, only for Kasper Schmeichel to deny him. Andreas Christensen then fired over at the other end, ensuring the game ended all square.
Vivo Player of the Match: Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (Denmark)
“He led the way in stats both defensively and offensively. He was also a big influence on his team as a leader, controlling the tempo of the game and reading situations well.”
Sture Sandø, Denmark reporter
Despite falling behind, Denmark fought their way back into the game. Coach Kasper Hjulmand kept up the energy levels with his substitutions, and that made it an even contest until the very end. A 1-1 draw seems like a fair result, and Denmark now face a crucial meeting with Serbia in their last group game to secure a spot in the round of 16.
Joe Terry, England reporter
A much better second half, certainly, but still the same issue from the Serbia game, whereby England’s positive start is undermined by a passive approach that allows the opponents back into the game. Southgate will be pleased that Foden exerted a much greater influence on proceedings and how attacking substitutes in the second half brought more verve to the performance.
Reaction
Morten Hjulmand enjoys his stunning strikeKey stats
- England are unbeaten in their last 13 EURO group stage matches (W8 D5). Since a 2-1 defeat against France in their opening fixture at EURO 2004.
- England have never started a EURO final tournament with two successive wins.
- England have lost only four of their 23 matches against Denmark (W13 D6 L4).
- Denmark failed to score the first goal for the first time after six consecutive EURO matches.
- Denmark have lost only one of their last 14 international matches (W9 D4).
- Hjulmand scored his first goal for Denmark on his ninth international appearance.
Line-ups
Denmark: Schmeichel; Andersen, Christensen, Vestergaard; Kristiansen (Bah 57), Hjulmand (Nørgaard 82), Højbjerg, Mæhle; Eriksen (Skov Olsen 82); Højlund (Poulsen 67), Wind (Damsgaard 57)
England: Pickford; Walker, Stones, Guéhi, Trippier; Alexander-Arnold (Gallagher 54), Rice; Saka (Eze 69), Bellingham, Foden (Bowen 69); Kane (Watkins 69)