Lackluster England Held by Denmark at Euro 2024

England's hopes of securing a spot in the knockout stages of Euro 2024 were put on hold after Morten Hjulmand's spectacular strike secured Denmark a 1-1 draw on Thursday.

The Danes, who deserved at least a point, capitalized on a less-than-impressive performance by England in Frankfurt. This follows England's unconvincing 1-0 win over Serbia in their opening match. Harry Kane gave the Three Lions an early lead, pouncing on a Danish defensive error. However, Hjulmand's rocket from outside the box equalized before halftime, and Denmark missed several late chances to clinch a memorable victory.

England remains atop Group C, two points clear of Slovenia, whom they will face in Cologne on Tuesday, and Denmark. Serbia's late equalizer in a 1-1 draw with Slovenia earlier on Thursday keeps England's fate in their own hands. Despite England manager Gareth Southgate's strategy of avoiding media coverage to escape negative stories during tournaments, criticism is likely after another flat display from one of the pre-tournament favorites.

Denmark's coach Kasper Hjulmand and goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel downplayed any desire for revenge over their Euro 2020 semi-final loss to England. However, the Danish team looked vastly improved compared to their disappointing 2022 World Cup campaign and their draw against Slovenia to open the tournament in Germany.

Both sides struggled with the poor pitch conditions in Frankfurt, which had deteriorated after just its second game of five at Euro 2024. Yet, England capitalized on a Danish error to take the lead 18 minutes in. Victor Kristiansen was caught unaware of Kyle Walker's run down the right, and his deflected low cross fell perfectly for Kane to slot in his 13th goal at major tournaments. However, failing to build on early leads has been a recurring issue for England under Southgate.

Harry Kane celebrate

England's Struggles Continue as Denmark Snatches a Draw at Euro 2024

In a scenario reminiscent of the 2018 World Cup semi-final and the Euro 2020 final, England once again saw their momentum slip away. This time, it was Denmark who clawed back after conceding an early goal, with Morten Hjulmand's spectacular strike securing a 1-1 draw.

Denmark was undeterred by falling behind. Hjulmand, afforded too much space by the England midfield, unleashed a blistering long-range shot that clipped the inside of the post to equalize.

Despite the setback, England manager Gareth Southgate made no changes at halftime. However, the experiment of playing Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold in a midfield role seems uncertain after he was substituted for Conor Gallagher in the 55th minute. Phil Foden, whose international form has been under scrutiny, looked more like his Premier League self, nearly restoring England's lead with a shot that struck the post.

Southgate, often criticized for his cautious approach, took bold steps in pursuit of a winner, substituting Harry Kane, Foden, and Bukayo Saka for Eberechi Eze, Ollie Watkins, and Jarrod Bowen. Watkins nearly made an immediate impact, but was denied by Denmark's goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel following a brilliant through ball from Jude Bellingham.

In the closing stages, it was Denmark who came closest to securing all three points. Andreas Christensen missed a clear chance from a corner, and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's curling effort narrowly missed the target.

England's draw leaves questions about their ability to maintain leads and capitalize on opportunities, issues that have plagued the team in recent tournaments.