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England must wait to secure a berth in the knockout stage of Euro 2024 after a 1-1 draw with Denmark on Thursday, a game that Harry Kane brought to life with an early goal but which ended with the Three Lions clinging on for a single point after a memorable equaliser from Morten Hjulmand.
It was a second successive lacklustre performance from Gareth Southgate’s men, who squandered the chance to become the first England team to win their two opening games at a Euro tournament.
The draw leaves the 2020 runners-up, previously touted as tournament favourites, at the top of Group C on four points, while Denmark are second on two after Slovenia‘s 1-1 draw with Serbia earlier.
“We can be better with and without the ball; I think the sign of a good team is not being at your best and still getting a result,” Kane said.
“We’re all but qualified and that’s the number one objective. I’m sure there’ll be loads of noise and disappointment back home, but it’s time to stay calm.”
The game got off to a sloppy start with wayward passes from both teams, quickly silencing the sea of red and white fans, a crowd that included the Prince of Wales and Denmark’s King Frederik.
But Kane — who has now scored more goals at major tournaments than any other England player with 13 — got England on the scoreboard in the 18th minute when Kyle Walker swooped in behind an unsuspecting Victor Kristiansen and fired in a cross that eventually fell to Kane.
The captain lunged and sent a left-footed shot from close range into the bottom left corner. The goal draws him level with Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney as the players to score for England at the most major tournaments, with four apiece.
Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images
Denmark were the better team after that, however, and an equaliser felt inevitable.
The Danes capitalised on England’s sloppy play in the 34th minute when Kane’s pass up the field from a throw-in went to Kristiansen, who passed to Hjulmand. The 24-year-old launched a rocket from about 30 yards out that ricocheted off the left post and into the net.
England keeper Jordan Pickford barely saw it coming, and waved a frustrated finger at his team mates.
Denmark were the sharper team thereafter, as their midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg appeared to acknowledge afterwards.
“I would have traded it for three points,” he said of his man of the match award. “We played well, we played smart, annoying that we couldn’t get one to go in. We have a lot we can take with us, we have to keep looking ahead and do it, we have time.”
Looking to inject some fresh legs and energy, Southgate took off Kane, Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka with about 20 minutes to play and replaced them with Ollie Watkins, Jarrod Bowen and Eberechi Eze.
Both teams squandered chances, however, the narrowest miss coming from Foden, who rang a shot off the post in the second half in a far more lively performance from him on Thursday than in the Serbia game.
Jude Bellingham, who scored England’s lone goal in their 1-0 opening win against Serbia in a dazzling first-half performance, barely factored on Thursday.
The Frankfurt Arena turf, which drew complaints after an earlier game, was no help to either team and was eventually torn to shreds. England’s Walker had to change his boots early on after sliding on it and rolling his ankle.
England take on Slovenia in their final group game on Tuesday, while the Danes take on Serbia on the same day, with all four teams still technically able to progress in the tournament depending on the results.
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