England and Denmark meet at Wembley for a place in the final of UEFA Euro 2020 after taking contrasting routes to the semifinals.
While England have become the first side to keep clean sheets in their first five EURO matches, overrunning Ukraine 4-0 in the quarter-finals, Denmark recovered from defeats in each of their first two games to win their last three and reached the last four with a narrow 2-1 victory against the Czech Republic in Baku.
This is England's third EURO semi-final and a first since losing on penalties to Germany in 1996, also at Wembley.
Denmark have to go back to 1992 for the most recent of their three last-four appearances, beating the Netherlands, also on spot kicks, on their way to taking the trophy.
Victory would make England the 13th country to reach a EURO final, and the first newcomers since Greece and Portugal in 2004.
The winners will play Italy or Spain in the final on 11 July, also at Wembley.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS
Denmark have won only four of their 21 official games against England compared to 12 English victories – although the Danes were victorious in the most recent. Christian Eriksen's 35th-minute penalty earned a 1-0 success at Wembley in the UEFA Nations League on 14 October 2020, a game in which England's Harry Maguire was sent off just prior to the goal and debutant Reece James after the final whistle. Eriksen and Simon Kjær both won their 100th cap for Denmark in the match.
The reverse fixture, at Parken Stadium in Copenhagen on 8 September 2020, had finished scoreless. That was Kasper Hjulmand's second game as Denmark coach, in which Christian Nørgaard made his international debut for the home side and Kalvin Phillips, Conor Coady and Jack Grealish all won their first caps for England.
That October victory was Denmark's third away to England and their second at Wembley, Allan Simonsen's penalty having secured a 1-0 win there in September 1983, a result that proved instrumental in the Danes reaching the 1984 UEFA European Championship at England's expense.
Denmark were also 3-2 winners in an Old Trafford friendly in November 2003.
The sides were also paired together in the 1980 UEFA European Championship qualifying competition, England winning 4-3 in Copenhagen and 1-0 at Wembley on their way to the final tournament in Italy.
The sides' only EURO finals meeting came in 1992, a goalless draw in Malmö on Matchday 1. While England bowed out after failing to win a game (D2 L1), Denmark finished second in Group 1 behind hosts Sweden, then beat holders the Netherlands 5-4 on penalties after a 2-2 draw in the semi-final before defeating world champions Germany 2-0 in the final to claim what remains their only major honour.
England triumphed in the only game between the sides at a FIFA World Cup, first-half goals from Rio Ferdinand (5), Michael Owen (22) and Emile Heskey (44) sealing a 3-0 victory in the 2002 round of 16 in Niigata. Current head coach Gareth Southgate was an unused substitute.
Post a Comment