On Saturday, the Danes with Kasper Dolberg leading, and the English with Harry Kane leading, progressed to the UEFA European Championship semifinals. England defeated a mostly defenseless Ukraine 4-0, and Denmark outplayed a tough Czech Republic 2-1 to progress and meet each other in the second semifinals of Euro 2020.
England-Ukraine
The favored English, playing away for a change, started with a fourth-minute Harry Kane score and never looked back. In a match where many an English momentum building or Ukrainian momentum breaking a call seemed to favor the Three Lions, and in which the Ukrainians still seemed to be carrying the load of their emotional 120+1-minute extra-time win over Sweden, the teams still managed to go into the lockers at half time with the same 1-0 scoreline.
But, at the 46th minute Harry Maguire headed home and four minutes later Kane struck again, and the game was put to bed with forty minutes still to play. The English kept trying to score and were rewarded at the 63rd minute via a Jordan Henderson goal to conclude the scoring—England 4-0 Ukraine.
The first goal gave an indication of what the match might look like going forward as Shaheen Sterling and Kane faced off against six Ukrainian defenders and their goalkeeper and Sterling still managed to thread a pass between them leaving Kane one on one with the keeper for the first easy score.
The second goal saw Maguire propel Mykola Matviyenko out of the way ahead of his goal-scoring header, but no officiating assistance ensued and the goal stood.
The third goal saw Luke Shaw provide an unimpeded cross from the left-wing, close in, by the box, to a wide-open Kane for an inside the goalie’s box header.
The fourth goal, a Jordan Henderson header found the Englishman unmarked and heading from close in for the final tally.
Denmark-Czech Republic
The Danes still seem to be playing in this bubble of adrenaline and good feeling that melts opponents aside. At the fifth minute of their quarterfinals match against the Czech Republic Thomas Delaney headed a ball in off a corner. He was standing unmarked right by the penalty spot when all others in the box seemed to be marked in a “C” around him. Delaney’s header was powerful and well-placed for the opening score.
The match got into a strong and open back and forth in which both teams created and blocked several opportunities until a brilliant trivela cross from the left-wing by Joakim Maehle found Kasper Dolberg in stride at the 42nd minute and the striker volleyed in from close range for a beautiful 2-0 half-time advantage.
The second half was contested as the Czechs had found an early response when Patrik Schick scored his fifth goal of the tourney, a redirect from the middle of the box, with a man on him, off a Tomas Kalas cross on the run at the 49th minute.
The game remained an engrossing tussle as both teams were up to creating opportunities but in the end, the scoreboard added no further goals, and these Danes of Destiny moved on.
Royalty-free Shutterstock photo ID: Kasper Dolberg, 609791537, By kivnl
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