England reach the final with a 2-1 win

In the motherland of football, 55 years after the 1966 World Cup title, dreams of the title are still being dreamed of. In the final on Sunday (9 p.m.) the European champions of 1968 await Italy with Italy. Mikkel Damsgaard shocked the 65,000 spectators at London’s Wembley Stadium with a wonderful free-kick only in the meantime (30th), after an own goal by Simon Kjaer (39th) England was think.

Unlike three years ago at the World Cup (1: 2 nV against Croatia), Gareth Southgate’s team also made the last step into the final – and escaped the unpopular penalty shoot-out, which last ended three times in a row in the European Championship.

With one exception, England’s manager relied on the team that had already achieved successes in the last sixteen and quarter-finals against Germany and Ukraine. The again fit Arsenal wing Bukayo Saka pushed Jadon Sancho to the bench. Denmark’s team boss Kasper Hjulmand did not dare to make any personal experiments either, bringing EM shooting star Damsgaard and Kasper Dolberg, as in the quarter-finals against the Czech Republic (2: 1). The more robust Yussuf Poulsen came back as a joker.

The first half an hour was mostly a tough affair. The British pushed the ball back and forth patiently, Denmark could not be lured out and looked for counter-chances. Sterling, arguably England’s best in the tournament, radiated danger from the start. But he came a step too short at the far post after Kane’s cross (5th) and a little later did not hit the ball correctly in a central position (13th).

Damsgaard’s attempt towards Kreuzeck was retrospectively a warning shot (25th). Shortly afterwards, the 21-year-old from Sampdoria Genoa sank a free kick from almost 23 meters under the crossbar (30th). The first directly converted free kick in this final round did not seem entirely untenable, and for the first time the 8,000 Danish stadium fans could be heard.

Jordan Pickford’s historic goal ban was broken after 721 minutes (about eight games). The Everton goalkeeper had trumped Gordon Banks just four minutes earlier. The 1966 world champion, who died in 2019, had 720 minutes without conceding from May to the end of July of the title year.

For the first time, the English were behind a deficit. The reaction was definite. Sterling missed the huge chance in front of the Danish keeper Kasper Schmeichel, but forced the equalizer in a mirror-image action in the following scene. Kjaer pushed Saka’s Stanglpass over the line in front of Sterling, who was ready to shoot in (39th). After the eleventh own goal in the 50th game of this European Championship, the half-time break was balanced.

The Danes then started the second half much more aggressively. England struggled for organization – and responded with a placed header from Harry Maguire, which Schmeichel steered around the bar (55th). It went back and forth in this phase, Hjulmand made a triple change including an exchange of the goalscorer. The English pressure nevertheless increased – steadily. Kane fell in the penalty area against Norgaard – too little for a penalty even after VAR studies (75th). England ran towards the finish and found a few half-chances, but Denmark defended themselves with a little luck and skill in extra time.

There Schmeichel was under constant fire in the English power play, before the Dutch referee Danny Makkelie imposed a hard penalty after an attack against Sterling. Schmeichel guessed the right corner targeted by the Tottenham star, but Kane scored in the margin (105th). From now on, “It’s coming home” rang out from the stands in a loop. Denmark had 15 minutes to become a party cracker. Pickford had to grab a shot from Martin Braithwaite (15th), but the English defense, who had not conceded a goal from the game, no longer allowed any real top chances.