Denmark and England played out a 1-1 draw at the Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt in their second games at the 2024 European Championships. Here are five interesting talking points from the game.
1. England struggle again after going ahead
It was the same old story for the Three Lions in their second game at the Euros. They took an early lead against Denmark but then retreated, allowing their opponents to gain momentum. England began strongly, with captain Harry Kane scoring in the 18th minute. However, their attacking efforts waned afterward. Denmark gradually asserted themselves and deservedly equalized through Morten Hjulmand in the 34th minute.
2. Morten Hjulmand’s sensational strikes
Morten Hjulmand’s equalizer, struck from 31 meters out, became the longest-range goal at the Euros since Mikkel Damsgaard’s goal for Denmark against England in 2021. The Sporting CP midfielder’s rocket went through a sea of bodies before going in off the left post, leaving goalkeeper Jordan Pickford with no chance and punishing England for sitting too deep.
3. Question marks all over Kane’s performance despite his goal
Kane started the game in the finest of fashions, coolly slotting in Kyle Walker’s cross to put the Three Lions in front on the 18th minute mark. However, the Bayern Munich striker was pretty pedestrian for the rest of the game. He looked far from his best as he failed to press or make runs in behind the Denmark defense with Gareth Southgate eventually bringing on Ollie Watkins in his place in the 69th minute.
4. Poor pitch conditions yet again at the Euros
The pitch in Frankfurt’s Deutsche Bank Park was in a very poor condition, with both Denmark and England players slipping and sliding frequently. It wasn’t the first grass-related issue at the tournament as the pitch at Düsseldorf’s Merkur-Spiel Arena had to be relaid twice and then dug up and redone a third time after UEFA deemed it still unsatisfactory. Despite the pitch’s condition and the potential risks for both teams, they managed to adapt, creating good passing sequences and threatening attacks.
5. England’s lack of pressing intensity
The Three Lions’ lack of intensity out of possession was particularly striking. Whether it was due to fatigue, heat, or a lack of confidence, there were few instances where Southgate’s side pressed the pitch and put the Danes under significant pressure during their build-up. They allowed Denmark to advance to the middle third with ease and paid the price with the fantastic Hjulmand strike.