England to face Italy in final after beating Denmark 2-1

England captain Harry Kane fired his aspect into their first European Championship remaining by slamming within the rebound to his saved penalty in extra-time, as Gareth Southgate’s crew eclipsed the supervisor’s icons of 25 years in the past with a hard-fought 2-1 win over courageous Denmark.

Southgate has carried the ache of his shoot-out penalty miss at Wembley since Euro 96 however his Three Lions wrote their very own historical past on Wednesday night time, organising a Sunday showdown with Italy again at Wembley.

It was removed from easy, with Mikkel Damsgaard breaching England’s beforehand watertight defence with the primary direct free-kick objective of the event on half-hour after the hosts had made a quick begin.

However England compelled an equalizer residence via a Simon Kjaer personal objective and whereas they may not get the job accomplished in 90 minutes in opposition to an increasingly-tired Danish aspect, who had flown in from their quarter-final in Baku, nearly all of the 60,000 followers again at Wembley roared with delight when Kane finally beat the in any other case good Kasper Schmeichel.

For Denmark, it’s a valiant finish to an unimaginable story at this event, and so they deserve big reward for what they’ve achieved after the shock of Christian Eriksen’s cardiac arrest of their first match.

However England and their supporters can now stay up for another match and the nation’s first main event remaining since 1966.

How England’s younger lions made historical past…

At kick-off these supporters have been eclipsing the noise created forward of the Scotland and Germany matches earlier within the event. On the large display screen, David Baddiel and Frank Skinner have been singing alongside to ‘Three Lions’ and the spirit of Euro 96 had undoubtedly been recaptured.

That electrical ambiance surged with early dribbles from Raheem Sterling, when Mason Mount twisted on the sting of the Danish field, and when Kane whipped a beautiful cross simply past the Man Metropolis man’s attain.

However England threatened to be their very own undoing quickly after. Southgate’s aspect had accomplished nicely to stamp out particular person errors on this event, however Kalvin Phillips was robbed by Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, who shot at Jordan Pickford, and the goalkeeper’s cross out then went straight to a pink shirt, with Martin Braithwaite’s shot deflected behind.

It was an alarming couple of minutes for England and gave Denmark confidence, with Damsgaard bending a shot large from the sting of the world. Because the first-half clock ticked on, Pickford’s streak with out conceding for his nation stretched previous 720 minutes, setting a brand new English document. Moments later the ball was in his web.

Damsgaard’s free-kick strike from 25 yards was chic, with the 21-year-old dipping a fierce effort beneath the bar and in off Pickford’s fingertips, though the ‘keeper will really feel he might have accomplished higher.

England seemed rattled. Pickford gave the ball away once more. Denmark virtually created a second on the break after Sterling’s free-kick hit the wall. On the touchline Southgate urged his aspect to relax.

The stress elevated inside Wembley when Schmeichel pulled off an unimaginable cease to stop Sterling delivering Kane’s cross. However a minute later an analogous transfer led to England’s leveller.

Kane dropped deep, fed Bukayo Saka with a high-quality cross, and, with Sterling primed to tuck in his fourth of the event, Kjaer beat him to it and deflected the ball into his personal objective.

England had the momentum behind them within the remaining moments of the half however, after the interval, it was Denmark once more trying essentially the most threatening – earlier than Schmeichel made a second excellent cease of the night time to maintain out Harry Maguire’s header at full stretch.

Kasper Dolberg shot at Pickford after one other chopping Danish transfer however that might be their first and solely shot because the objective till extra-time, as England lastly started to rediscover their authority within the match, with Mount seeing a shot blocked and one other claimed by Schmeichel.

On 68 minutes, Southgate despatched on Jack Grealish and he was straight into the motion, forcing Daniel Wass right into a foul that earned a reserving, earlier than dribbling into the field within the build-up to Sterling seeing a shot blocked.

England supporters have been calling for a penalty when Kane went down within the field quickly after however ref Danny Makkelie as a substitute gave a free-kick for simulation and was backed up by VAR, earlier than Andreas Christensen’s good interception prevented Maguire sending Grealish via and Phillips drilled large from the sting of the field.

Throughout a nail-biting finale, England pegged again a tiring Denmark aspect, however nonetheless couldn’t pressure a means via, with John Stones, Phillips and Maguire unable to transform and Kane mis-cuing from Grealish’s cut-back within the remaining seconds of regular time.

Schmeichel was sharp once more to disclaim Kane after the restart, and the Leicester man punched away a robust Grealish effort earlier than Sterling shot wastefully over as England piled on the strain.

However then got here the breakthrough. Sterling has been England’s go-to man at this event and he proved decisive once more, along with his slaloming run into the field ended by a visit from Joakim Maehle. It was a smooth one however after a protracted VAR examine it stood and Kane stepped as much as take it. Schmeichel bought behind the tame shot, he ought to have grasped it – however the ball slipped out and into the trail of Kane to transform the rebound and ship Wembley wild.

The Danes spirited up an enormous push within the second half of extra-time searching for an equaliser however have been all out of steam and right down to 10 for the ultimate levels when Mathias Jensen limped off. England stood agency and noticed out the historic win with their delighted supporters chanting ‘Ole’ with each cross late on.

On the remaining whistle, the celebrations began, the followers sung ‘soccer is coming residence’ – however the dream isn’t full but…