Czech Republic goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik reaches for the ball ahead of Denmark’s Joachim Andersen during Saturday’s Euro 2020 quarterfinal match at the Olympic stadium in Baku. Darko Vojinovic/Pool via AP
BAKU, Azerbaijan — Denmark’s journey at the European Championship is headed to London.
The Danes, who have developed into a surprise contender after their tournament began with midfielder Christian Eriksen suffering cardiac arrest on the field, advanced to the Euro 2020 semifinals on Saturday by beating the Czech Republic 2-1.
Following the usual tributes to the recovering Eriksen from UEFA and fans – a giant No. 10 shirt laid out on the field and a “For Christ10an” banner in the stands — Denmark quickly took control against the Czechs on a hot and humid night in Azerbaijan.
Jens Stryger sent an outswinging corner in the fifth minute to Thomas Delaney, standing in space by the penalty spot. Delaney’s bouncing header went in past the outstretched hand of goalkeeper Tomáš Vaclík.
Denmark doubled the lead just before halftime. Joakim Maehle hit a cross from the left using the outside of his right foot. The ball eluded Martin Braithwaite’s attempt at a header but Kasper Dolberg got past his marker and beat Vaclík in the 42nd.
“What we’ve been through, it’s hard to describe. It wasn’t our best game but maybe it was about that time that we struggle,” Delaney said. “We have a great atmosphere within the team, so why not take the next step again?”
The place in the semifinals is the farthest Denmark has progressed at a major tournament since winning the European title in 1992. The team will face England on Wednesday at Wembley Stadium.
“We make history that we achieved the semifinal now,” Stryger said. “It’s been many, many years ago since Denmark was there. … We know Denmark is going crazy right now.”
Czech Republic forward Patrik Schick scored his fifth goal at the beginning of the second half, putting him even with Cristiano Ronaldo as the tournament’s leading scorers. Schick was given plenty of space by defender Jannik Vestergaard to hit a first-touch shot off Vladimir Coufal’s curled pass.
Denmark lost its first two games at Euro 2020, first against Finland – when Eriksen collapsed on the field – and then to Belgium. The Danes were on the verge of elimination before beating Russia, Wales and the Czechs in succession.
Eriksen, who has to be resuscitated with a defibrillator in that opening match, has been recovering at home.
ENGLAND 4, UKRAINE 0: England is going back home, with something to play for.
Harry Kane scored twice and England overwhelmed Ukraine to reach the European Championship semifinals.
It was the only match of Euro 2020 that England had to play away from Wembley Stadium and it was the team’s most dominant performance of the tournament.
Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson also scored as England kept a clean sheet for the fifth straight match.
The last time England made it to the last four of the European Championship was in 1996. But the bigger goal at this point is to duplicate the success of the 1966 England team that won the World Cup on home soil.
Kane scored on England’s first opportunity in the fourth minute, using one touch to redirect a through ball from Raheem Sterling for his second goal in as many matches. The ball went in off the shoulder of goalkeeper Georgiy Bushchan inside the near post.
England also scored early in the second half after Kane was fouled about 10 seconds. A free kick from Luke Shaw set up a header from Maguire. Four minutes later, Kane got his second by heading in another cross from Shaw on a play that included a backheel pass from Sterling as England dazzled.
After failing to score in the group stage, Kane now has three goals in two matches after also scoring in the 2-0 win over Germany in the last 16.
Kane won the Golden Boot with six goals the 2018 World Cup, when England also reached the semifinals. He exited to a standing ovation at the Stadio Olimpico when he came off midway through the second half.
Henderson’s goal – his first for England after a decade with the national team – also came with a header as Ukraine’s defenders had no answers to England’s aerial prowess.
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