England v Denmark: Five most recent clashes
With England and Denmark set to square up for a place in the final of the European Championships, excitement is beginning to build. For England, the chance to reach their first major international final since the 1966 World Cup triumph is hugely exciting, while Denmark will be hoping to continue their staggering run to the latter stages of the tournament.
Something will have to give at Wembley on Wednesday night, and although Gareth Southgate’s men are firm favourites among those looking to bet on England v Denmark at Euro 2020, the Danes will be doing everything they can to upset the apple cart. The head-to-head record between the two nations makes for interesting reading, so with the latest crunch encounter drawing ever closer, let’s take a look at the last five meetings.
Denmark 4-1 England (August 2005)
Ouch. Forgotten about this one, England fans? On a miserable night in Copenhagen, Sven-Göran Eriksson’s England were humbled by an in-form Denmark side. With the scores tied at 0-0 at half-time in this international friendly, the match risked petering out, but things exploded into life in the second half.
Charlton Athletic hero Dennis Rommedahl gave Denmark the lead on the hour mark, before legendary Danish striker Jon-Dahl Tomasson doubled the lead three minutes later. By the 67th minute, it was 3-0 through Michael Gravgaard’s goal, and in the blink of an eye England were suddenly staring down the barrel of a pasting. Wayne Rooney pulled one back with three minutes to go, but in stoppage time Soren Larsen bagged Denmark’s fourth on a night to forget for the Three Lions.
Denmark 1-2 England (February 2011)
Six years later, England returned to the scene of that dismal 4-1 demolition for another friendly, but this time it was a more positive outcome with Fabio Capello at the helm. Denmark took the lead in the eighth minute through Liverpool’s Daniel Agger, sparking fears that another mauling was on the cards, but two minutes later Darren Bent popped up with the equaliser.
Ashley Young notched the winner midway through the second half, and England held on for a 2-1 victory, making new memories at the Parken Stadium.
England 1-0 Denmark (March 2014)
With the 2014 World Cup on the horizon, England were looking to build momentum, and they secured a 1-0 friendly win over Denmark thanks to a late goal from Daniel Sturridge. The match was Raheem Sterling’s second cap, having made his debut a year and a half earlier at the tender age of 17, and the then Liverpool winger put in a man-of-the-match display.
A poor playing surface did not contribute to the spectacle, and neither England or Denmark fans will regard this one as a classic.
Denmark 0-0 England (September 2020)
Speaking of poor spectacles, six years passed before England and Denmark next locked horns, but a goalless draw in Copenhagen won’t go down as one for the ages. The two teams were battling it out in the UEFA Nations League, but nothing could separate the sides in the end.
Four players earned their debuts for England (Conor Coady, Jack Grealish, Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Kalvin Phillips), and while neither side could make the breakthrough, it was a good outing for some of England’s younger stars.
England 0-1 Denmark (October 2020)
The last clash between England and Denmark at Wembley does not bring much hope for the Three Lions’ chances of overcoming the Danes there at the ongoing Euros. In a poor performance defined by ill-discipline, England had two players sent off (Harry Maguire and Reece James) and were condemned to a 1-0 defeat through Christian Eriksen’s first-half penalty.
Southgate has made his team a lot tighter and better disciplined since then, and it will be a different animal that takes to the field against Denmark on Wednesday night. The Danes will be hoping for a repeat of their Wembley success, but England are on a roll, and are now highly fancied