Two teams who will be keen to continue their fairytale run squares off against each other in the second semi-final of Euro 2020. England (ENG) is yet to concede a goal in the tournament, while Denmark (DEN) has scored ten goals in their last three games. Both teams wrapped up their quarter-final clash in regulation time. The Three Lions crushed Ukraine by four goals, and Denmark defeated the Czech Republic thanks to two first-half goals. A Christian Eriksen penalty made the difference in the last meeting between both sides.
England head coach Gareth Southgate has confirmed Bukayo Saka is available for selection against Denmark. The Arsenal winger, forced out to sit out with an injury against Ukraine, is likely to replace Jadon Sancho. Southgate could switch to a 3-man backline, with Kyle Walker, John Stones, and Harry Maguire at the heart of the defence.
Luke Shaw is the player to watch out for in the England playing eleven. The Manchester United player’s off-the-ball movements and pinpoint crosses and passes have helped England overcome the Czech Republic and Ukraine. Meanwhile, Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling will be hoping to continue their impressive run in front of the goal. The 27-year-old has netted three goals from the last two games, while Sterling has three goals and an assist.
Denmark’s strength in Euro 2020 has been its fearless and relentless attacking unit. They are likely to remain unchanged from the win over the Czech Republic in the quarter-finals. Kasper Dolberg will be aiming to score in a third successive game. He has played only 158 minutes but managed to score thrice. Mikkel Damsgaard, too, has made significant contributions in the attacking front in Denmark’s last three games.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Thomas Delaney will be hoping to boss the midfield. The Danes duo boasts more experience than their English counterparts. The backline will be wary of the pace and the threat of Kane, Sterling, etc., and would be keen to improve their second-half performance. All five goals Denmark conceded came in the second half, while England scored six of their eight goals after the break.
Head-to-Head
Played: 23
ENG won: 13
DEN won: 5
Drawn: 5
Top Five Fantasy Points scorers (Quarter-finals)
ENG: H Maguire (21.5 pts), H Kane (19.5 pts), L Shaw (19 pts), J Henderson (12 pts). J Stones (11.5 pts)
DEN: T Delaney (12 pts), K Dolberg (9.5 pts), J Stryger Larsen (8 pts), J Maehle (8 pts), K Schmeichel (4.5 pts)
Euro 2020 Stats
Top Goalscorer: ENG – R Sterling, H Kane (3 goals); DEN – K Dolberg (3 goals)
Most Assists: ENG – L Shaw (3 assists); DEN – P Hojbjerg (3 assists)
Most Passes Completed: ENG – J Stones (330 passes); DEN – P Hojbjerg (291 passes)
Most Successful Tackles: ENG – D Rice & K Phillips (6 tackles); DEN – S Kjaer (7 tackles)
Shots Saved: ENG – J Pickford (9 saves); DEN – K Schmeichel (8 saves)
Injuries/Suspensions
ENG: none
DEN: none
Playing 11
ENG (possible): J Pickford; K Walker, J Stones, H Maguire, L Shaw; K Phillips, D Rice, M Mount; B Saka, H Kane, R Sterling
DEN (possible): K Schmeichel; A Christensen, S Kjaer, J Vestergaard; J Stryger Larsen, P Hojbjerg, T Delaney, J Maehle; M Braithwaite, K Dolberg, M Damsgaard
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Parameswaran Sankaranarayanan
Parameswaran Sankaranarayan is a sports enthusiast who has worked in print, website, and other digital platforms. He was part of the editorial team of first-ever Indian football-based website - IndianFootball.com (now defunct) - and passionately follows the latest happenings in world football. During his time as a journalist, he had the opportunity to interact with some of the iconic personalities in Indian sports and witness some memorable moments in Indian football.
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