Wednesday 07 July 2021
Update
Home finals, England escalated
Doubtful penalty destroys Denmark’s fairy tale
The Danes wavered for a long time in the extension of the semi-finals at the European Football Championship against England, but they only fell after a dubious penalty. England striker Harry Kane scored the winning goal with the margin. A party breaks out in London’s Wembley Stadium that the Danes can no longer decisively disrupt.
England is reaching for the crown, Denmark is on its knees: The Three Lions let the motherland of football dream of the title and are in a European Championship final for the first time – the wondrous journey of the Danish outsiders, on the other hand, ends in a very bitter way at Wembley. The English won a close semi-final with 2: 1 (1: 1) after extra time and will go into the final against top favorite Italy on Sunday with verve. 55 years after winning the World Cup in their own country, the second big triumph is finally waiting.
In extra time, captain Harry Kane took an extremely questionable penalty kick, only in the margin he scored (104.) and made the final perfect. “If he touches me in the box like that, it will of course be a penalty,” said Raheem Sterling, who fell very easily. “This final is a step in the right direction for England, but we are not there yet. “
Mikkel Damsgaard (30th) had previously given Denmark hope with a brilliant free kick and thus conceded the hosts’ first goal at this European Championship. An own goal by Simon Kjaer (39th) brought the quick equalizer.
And team manager Gareth Southgate could still become a trailblazer in the history of English football – 25 years ago he was the big obstacle: In England’s only European Championship semi-final in 1996, he missed the decisive penalty against Germany. “Unbelievable what a game. Really tough. We were there when it counted. A final at home – what a feeling,” said match winner Kane.
“Images of the final already in my head”
England: Pickford / Everton FC (27 years old / 37 caps) – Walker / Manchester City (31/60), Stones / Manchester City (27/48), Maguire / Manchester United (28/36), Shaw / Manchester United (25/15 ) – Rice / West Ham United (22/26) from 95. Henderson / Liverpool FC (31/63), Phillips / Leeds United (25/14) – Saka / Arsenal FC (19/8) from 69. Grealish / Aston Villa (25/11) from 106. Trippier / Atletico Madrid (30/32), Mount / Chelsea FC (22/20) from 95. Foden / Manchester City (21/9), Sterling / Manchester City (26/67) – Kane / Tottenham Hotspur (27/60). – Coach: Southgate
Denmark: Schmeichel / Leicester City (34 years old / 71 internationals) – Christensen / Chelsea FC (25/47) from 79. Andersen / Olypique Lyon (25/8), Kjaer / AC Milan (32/113), Vestergaard / Southampton FC (28 / 28) from 105. Wind / FC Copenhagen (22/9) – Stryger Larsen / Udinese Calcio (30/42) from 67. Wass / FC Valencia (32/35), Höjbjerg / Tottenham (25/47), Delaney / Borussia Dortmund (29/60) from 88. Jensen / FC Brentford (25/12), Maehle / Atalanta Bergamo (24/16) – Braithwaite / FC Barcelona (30/56), Dolberg / OGC Nice (23/30) from 67. Nörgaard / FC Brentford (27/9), Damsgaard / Sampdoria Genua (21/8) from 67. Poulsen / RB Leipzig (27/59). – Trainer: Hjulmand
Referee: Danny Makkelie (Netherlands)
Gates: 0: 1 Damsgaard (30th), 1: 1 Kjaer (39th, own goal), 2: 1 Kane (104th)
Before the duel with Denmark, however, the height of fall was great for all Englishmen, the island was in a state of emergency. Hundreds of thousands drank and sang warmly in and in front of the pubs that afternoon, and anyone who got a ticket was a happy fan. Even Prince Charles had the guard band in the garden of Clarence House sing the hymn that also rolled through Wembley: “Football’s.” coming home “. And even in the dressing room, this euphoria was well received, “of course I have the pictures of the final in my head,” said captain Harry Kane – even before the semifinals.
And the pressure grew when the teams stepped onto the pitch at Wembley: around 60,000 spectators were present despite rising corona numbers, at least 50,000 of them wanted to roar England for victory. The Three Lions started like a favorite, won the balls early, Denmark found it difficult to get out of their own half.
But Raheem Sterling (13th) didn’t get much more than a weak conclusion, and Denmark became more self-confident. Organized by Dortmund’s Thomas Delaney, the supposed outsider presented himself at eye level – and that soon brought something countable.
Pickford breaks record – and cashes
Just like that, Jordan Pickford made it into the history books of English football, he set a record with 721 minutes without conceding a goal, then Damsgaard put the ball down. His violent shot hit the crossbar from about 23 meters, but it didn’t seem untenable for Pickford.
England reacted well, however, found the pressure of the early stages again and was rewarded. Sterling (38th) failed to Kasper Schmeichel, only a minute later Kjaer then steered a sharp cross into his own goal.
At the beginning of the second half, both teams appeared waiting again, the next mistake, the next goal should be avoided. Then it was England, however, that found themselves deeper in the opposing half from minute to minute. Harry Maguire failed with his head on the strongly reacting Schmeichel (55th).
In the sixth game of the tournament, both teams soon looked increasingly tired, and Denmark in particular reacted almost entirely in the final phase. England squeezed, Schmeichel moved again and again into the center, the goalkeeper of the English first division club Leicester City showed a very strong game. Then Sterling went to the ground very easily in extra time, but Schmeichel even saved this penalty – and was powerless at the margin.
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