England played poorly and settled for a draw against Denmark, despite Morten Hjulmand’s impressive goal.

England’s hopes of securing their place in the second round were dashed as they settled for a disappointing draw against Denmark. Despite taking an early lead through captain Harry Kane, England once again dropped back and allowed Denmark to come forward, resulting in an equalizer from Morten Hjulmand.

Although England had the closest chances to score, with Phil Foden hitting the post from 20 yards out, it was Denmark who felt they deserved the three points. In the final minutes of the game, Denmark came close to securing a winner, with Andreas Christensen volleying over the bar and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s effort curling just wide.

Despite their poor performance, England still remain in control of Group C, sitting at the top of the table with four points. Denmark and Slovenia follow closely behind with two points each.

One talking point from the match is that England should not be considered among the tournament favorites. They appeared to be a weaker side in possession compared to Denmark, lacking any clear system. It was surprising to see them sit back with all 11 players behind the ball when Denmark entered their half. Denmark had no pressure on them in possession and had the easiest task of advancing into England’s attacking half. As the game progressed, it was clear that Denmark was the side more likely to win.

This performance was reminiscent of England’s game against Scotland three years ago, where they struggled against a team predominantly made up of England-based players. It is difficult to see England finding a system that allows them to play with the fluidity needed to justify their status as pre-tournament favorites. While they may top the group and win a second-round match against a third-place team, it is unlikely that they will pose a threat to the top-four sides in the tournament.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg was named the Player of the Match for his outstanding performance. He came inches away from winning the game for Denmark and outplayed the higher-rated midfielders on the England team. Whenever Denmark had the ball in the attacking third, Hojbjerg drove forward and put pressure on England. Although he was a bit too eager to shoot, his efforts nearly paid off in the end.

Player ratings for the match are as follows:

Denmark:
Schmeichel 6;
Andersen 6, Christensen 6, Vestergaard 6;
Maehle 6, Hojbjerg 8*, Hjulmand 7, Kristiansen 5;
Eriksen 7;
Hojlund 6, Wind 6.

England:
Pickford 6;
Walker 6, Stones 6, Guehi 7, Trippier 6;
Alexander-Arnold 6, Rice 5;
Saka 7, Bellingham 6, Foden 7;
Kane 6.

In terms of match highlights, England took the lead in the 18th minute through Kane, who capitalized on a deflected pass from Walker. However, Denmark equalized in the 34th minute with a fantastic strike from Hjulmand. Foden came close to scoring for England in the 56th minute, hitting the post with a low effort. Bellingham provided a great ball to Watkins in the 72nd minute, but Schmeichel blocked his shot. Hojbjerg had a chance to score from 30 yards out in the 73rd minute, forcing Pickford to make a scrambling save. Christensen missed a great chance from six yards out in the 84th minute, volleying over the bar. Hojbjerg came inches away from scoring in the 85th minute, with his curling effort narrowly missing the far post.