Denmark 1 England 1: Three Lions blow chance to qualify for last 16 and face tense final game after uninspiring draw
THIS is an England team suffering from an identity crisis.
With too many square pegs in round holes and too many big names failing to fire, England looked a million miles away from potential European champions.
When Gareth Southgate hooked England’s entire front three midway through the second half of this Group C draw, it posed far more questions than answers for the remainder of this campaign.
Harry Kane had fired England into the lead but suffered the indignity of being substituted with the match still in the balance, along with Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka.
A long-range first-half equaliser from Morten Hjulmand earned Denmark a point which was the least they deserved.
And while Foden hit the post early in the second half, this was a thoroughly unconvincing performance.
England are as good as through to the last 16 and will top this group if they defeat Slovenia in Cologne on Tuesday.
But with Trent Alexander-Arnold’s central midfield experiment failing badly, with no fit left-back in the squad and now with debate over all of England’s front three, this is turning into a muddled campaign.
Serbia’s draw with Slovenia meant that an England victory would have guaranteed top-place in the group with a game to spare – and pair Southgate’s men with a third-placed team in the last 16.
Southgate named an unchanged side from Sunday’s opening win over the Serbs but it was a scratchy, nervy start – England frequently giving the ball away and Trent Alexander-Arnold the chief culprit.
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Playing Hollywood passes to Danishmen wasn’t really what this midfield experiment was supposed to be about.
When England threatened it was all about Kyle Walker. First the right-back squared a pass to his Manchester City team-mate Phil Foden, who did well to create space for himself but shot high and wide.
Then, on 18 minutes, came the breakthrough which was a personal nightmare for Danish wing-back Victor Kristiansen.
While Walker blue-lighted it down the flank, Kristiansen appeared to be towing a caravan and, as he dawdled, the City man robbed him.
Walker’s cut back deflected off Andreas Christensen, allowing Kane to prod home from six yards.
It was the skipper’s 13th goal at major tournaments – three more than any other Englishman has managed.
But England failed to capitalise – they were shoddy in their passing and panicky at the back.
Jordan Pickford had a mad five minutes – allowing Christian Eriksen to steal the ball from him in the six-yard box but Alexander-Arnold intercepted before Rasmus Hojlund could finish.
Soon the England keeper was flapping at a cross and after an Alexander-Arnold error, Marc Guehi’s attempted clearance was deflected on to the roof of the net.
Denmark were far more assured in their passing and they fully deserved their equaliser.
From a Kieran Trippier throw-in deep in England’s half, Kane played a stray pass which Kristiansen intercepted, teeing up Hjulmand for a 30-yard drilled home off the post.
It wasn’t an absolute clanger from Pickford but from such a range, he will feel he should have saved it.
The Danish fans started performing a Viking thunderclap – bringing back unfortunate memories of Iceland – England grew increasingly frustrated.
Foden started shaping up like Diego Maradona at the Azteca Stadium but after an impressive dribble he failed to play the obvious pass to Kane, who was visibly fuming.
It was a pretty miserable 45 minutes, at least as poor as England’s second half against Serbia.
The second period began in more upbeat fashion and Alexander-Arnold produced his best moment just as Southgate was preparing to substitute him.
The Liverpool man’s dipping long-range pass released Saka, who couldn’t control it, then headed into the side-netting.
The Alexander-Arnold experiment was put to bed when Conor Gallagher replaced him on 54th minute.
Soon after Saka fed Foden, who pinged a shot against the post from outside the area.
Again, though, it started getting ragged from England – a Declan Rice error allowed Eriksen a sight at goal but the Manchester United man shot over.
Then midway through the second half, Southgate made a drastic triple change, withdrawing his front three of Kane, Saka and Foden and sending on Ollie Watkins, Jarrod Bowen and Eberechi Eze.
It did not take long before Watkins was testing Kasper Schmeichel.
First, Bellingham produced a sweet pass but the Danish keeper advanced to deny Watkins with his body.
Schmeichel pushed another Watkins effort around the post and England were re-energised.
Yet there were still moments of worry. Rice’s poor pass almost let in Alexander Bah, but the excellent Marc Guehi receovered.
Then Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg curled one wide from the edge of trhe box as the Danes finished strongly.
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