England must wait to secure knockout stage berth after draw with Denmark

FRANKFURT: England must wait to secure a berth in the knockout stage of the European Championship after a 1-1 draw with Denmark on Thursday. Harry Kane brought the game to life with an early goal, but his side ended up clinging to a single point as the match concluded.

This draw marks a second successive lackluster performance from Gareth Southgate’s men, who missed the opportunity to become the first England team to win their two opening games at a Euro tournament. Despite their struggles, the 2020 runners-up sit atop Group C with four points, while Denmark holds second place with two points, following Slovenia’s 1-1 draw with Serbia earlier.

“We know we can improve,” Kane acknowledged. “I know there will probably be loads of noise and a bit of disappointment back home, but we experienced this in the last Euros as well.”

The game began with sloppy play and wayward passes from both teams, quickly quieting the enthusiastic crowd, which included the Prince of Wales and Denmark’s King Frederik. Both sides had their chances, with Foden narrowly missing a goal as his shot hit the post in the second half. This was a marked improvement from his performance against Serbia.

Jude Bellingham, who scored England’s lone goal in their 1-0 opening win against Serbia, was largely absent against Denmark’s physical midfield of Hojbjerg and Hjulmand. As the final whistle blew, most England fans had cleared out, while Danish supporters stayed to celebrate.

“We understand the supporters’ frustration from the outside, but as a staff and a team we need to stay together,” said England defender Kieran Trippier, who earned his 50th cap. “We know as players we can take it up so many levels.”

England faces Slovenia in their final group game on Tuesday, while Denmark will play Serbia the same day. All four teams are still in contention to progress in the tournament.(Reuters)