England’s struggles continued in their Euro 2024 campaign with a lackluster 1-1 draw against Denmark, failing to secure an early spot in the knockout stages.
Harry Kane put the Three Lions ahead early in the game, capitalizing on Kyle Walker’s swift interception from a napping Victor Kristiansen. Despite this promising start, England fell back into a familiar pattern of sitting deep and losing intensity, much like their previous game against Serbia. The team’s passing was erratic, and they appeared lethargic and disjointed.
Jude Bellingham, the standout star from Sunday, was notably quiet, while Trent Alexander-Arnold struggled in his midfield role. Denmark capitalized on England’s defensive lapses, and Morten Hjulmand delivered a stunning equalizer, striking the ball off the post after Kane’s costly turnover.
Bukayo Saka attempted to revive the team’s momentum, narrowly missing a header and failing to convert a rebound from Phil Foden’s shot that hit the post. England’s head coach, Gareth Southgate, known for his cautious approach, made a bold triple substitution at 69 minutes, bringing in Ollie Watkins, Jarrod Bowen, and Eberechi Eze for Kane, Saka, and Foden.
Despite Watkins’ energetic effort, nearly scoring from a tight angle, England’s performance remained lackluster. Marc Guehi and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg added to the tension with their near misses, but England couldn’t overcome their sluggishness.
With four points from their first two games, England is close to securing a spot in the knockouts but needs a significant improvement in performance to advance further in the tournament.
Gary Neville expressed his concerns on ITV, emphasizing the need for Southgate to make strategic changes: “We’ve seen this before. It’s not time to panic, but Southgate needs to find solutions and adjust the team dynamics. There’s an imbalance, leading to defensive errors and disjointed play. Without changes, we know how this story ends.”
Credit: Sky Sports
