MX23RW : Thursday, April 25 04:49:50| >> :600:2657786:2657786:
[monks data]
England national football team
European Championship | Semi-Finals
Jul 7, 2021 at 8pm UK
Wembley Stadium
Denmark national football team

England
2 - 1
Denmark

Kjaer (39' og.), Kane (104')
Maguire (49')
FT
(aet)
Damsgaard (30')
Wass (72')

Euro 2020 day 26: Heavyweights Spain and Italy collide at Wembley

Euro 2020 day 26: Heavyweights Spain and Italy collide at Wembley
© Reuters
The first semi-final sees the sides meet in a repeat of the 2012 final in Kiev.

European heavyweights Italy and Spain clash in the first semi-final at Euro 2020 on Tuesday night at Wembley.

Italy, the standout team so far in the competition, reached the last four by beating Belgium, while steadily-improving Spain needed penalties to overcome a spirited Switzerland side.

The winners will play either England or Denmark in the final at Wembley on Sunday.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at the semi-final ties.

Italy not favourites – Enrique

Denmark Croatia Spain Euro 2020 Soccer
Spain head coach Luis Enrique does not agree with the notion that Italy are favourites to reach the final (Stuart Franklin/AP)

Spain coach Luis Enrique does not believe there is a favourite for the game as he maintains his side are still getting better as they progress.

Their performances have been inconsistent and unconvincing so far and while that may have attracted criticism, the former Barcelona and Roma boss is unmoved.

"We arrived very confident and with room for improvement. Saying who is the favourite seems very daring to me," said Enrique. "Asking for a grade while you're still taking the exam...it's better to wait. The grade is the least of it. We are in the last part of the exam; we don't want to know the grade until the end."

Bonucci wary of the threat posed by Morata

Denmark Croatia Spain Euro 2020 Soccer
Alvaro Morata has been criticised for missing too many chances at Euro 2020 (Stuart Franklin/AP)

The Spain striker has been the target for much criticism in his homeland due to his relatively poor form with two goals in five matches at the finals, a disappointing return for the number of chances he gets.

Italy captain Leonardo Bonucci has sung the praises of his Juventus team-mate, saying: "I've had to go through what he went through and I know what it's like to read and feel certain things as well. He's a great guy and a terrific footballer, a complete striker. He is one of the best centre-forwards in world football and we need to make sure we are switched on (on Tuesday night)."

Can Italy's ageless defensive duo cope against a mobile Spanish side?

Italy have the second-best defensive record behind England at the tournament having conceded just two in five matches and kept three clean sheets, thanks largely to the veteran duo of Giorgio Chiellini (36) and Bonucci (34).

While the pair may struggle for pace, they are able to rely on their vast experience – both have won more than 100 caps apiece – and the organisation they instil in their team-mates.

Spain have a mobile, multi-functional approach to attack which is not necessarily beholden to a central striker and Enrique will hope they can change the angles and open up space between Italy's two great pillars in defence.

Harry Kane insists he was unaffected by his goalless start to Euro 2020

The England captain drew a blank in the first four games and was questioned in some quarters before returning to form. He struck the second goal in the last-16 win over Germany before scoring a brace in the 4-0 quarter-final victory against Ukraine on Saturday night.

A goal for Kane against Denmark would see him draw level on 10 with Gary Lineker as England's leading goalscorer in major tournaments.

"It's not so much about proving other people wrong," said Kane. "It's about proving to myself again that I am as good as I can be, I can score at any level, I've done it at any stage. When you go three or four games without scoring, you want to score and put that to bed and at a major tournament it gets heightened even more but the fact that I have so much self-belief in myself and my team, I don't really let that stuff affect me.

Denmark won the last meeting between the two teams

England v Denmark – UEFA Nations League – Group 2 – League A – Wembley Stadium
Denmark's Kasper Schmeichel and Christian Eriksen celebrate winning at Wembley last year (Toby Melville/PA)

England are favourites to progress to Sunday's final but the Danes claimed a 1-0 win against the Three Lions at Wembley last October in the Nations League in a contest where Maguire and Reece James were both sent off.

"We can use that meeting to make us believe that it is possible (to win)," said Denmark defender Andreas Christensen. "They have a lot of support but also a lot of pressure on them. I feel like we have the qualities to play against everyone. As a team, I would not say they are that much better."

Stat of the day

Italy coach Roberto Mancini became only the second coach in European Championship history to win each of his first five matches in the finals after Michel Hidalgo, who won all five of his matches in charge of France in 1984.

ID:454138: cacheID:454138:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:12190:No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
England captain Harry Kane pictured in action against Ukraine at Euro 2020 on July 3, 2021
Read Next:
Euro 2020 day 25: England eyeing first-ever final appearance
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
10am
Blanch
Nadal
10am
Cachin
Ofner
10am
Elahi Galan
Bautista-Agut
10am
Gasquet
Sonego
10am
Hanfmann
Mensik
10am
Koepfer
Carballes Baena
10am
Kovacevic
Medjedovic
10am
Lajovic
Monteiro
10am
Machac
Ruusuvuori
10am
Michelsen
Fonseca
10am
Nishioka
Auger-Aliassime
10am
O'Connell
Arnaldi
10am
Purcell
Giron
10am
Ramos-Vinolas
Kotov
10am
Tabilo
Cobolli
10am
Zhizhen
Kecmanovic
10am
Azarenka
Maria
10am
Eala
Cirstea
10am
Annie Fernandez
Potapova
10am
Gauff
Rus
10am
Keys
Camelia-Begu
10am
Podoroska
Navarro
10am
Karolina Schmiedlova
Jabeur
10am
Swiatek
Wang
10am
Baez
Van Assche
10am
Coric
Zverev
10am
Martin Etcheverry
Shapovalov
10am
Humbert
Van De Zandschulp
10am
Hurkacz
Draper
10am
Marozsan
Cerundolo
10am
Paul
Klein
10am
Rublev
Bagnis
10am
Altmaier
Fils
10am
Darderi
Fritz
10am
Griekspoor
Daniel
10am
Munar
Struff
10am
Musetti
Seyboth Wild
10am
Navone
Rune
10am
Shevchenko
Alcaraz
10am
Alexandrova
Krueger
10am
Andreeva
Noskova
10am
Bejlek
Kalinskaya
10am
Boulter
Montgomery
10am
Bronzetti
Rybakina
10am
Collins
Danilovic
3pm
Cristian
Krejcikova
10am
Dolehide
Kalinina
10am
Garcia
Wang
10am
Linette
Sabalenka
10am
Pavlyuchenkova
Saville
10am
Sorribes Tormo
Svitolina
10am
Vekic
Sakkari
11.30am
Arango
Yastremska
11.30am
Osaka
Samsonova
11.30am
Ostapenko
Bouzas Maneiro
1pm
Haddad Maia
Errani
2.30pm
Lourdes Carle
Kudermetova
2.30pm
Mertens
Stephens
Tables header RHS

Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Germany Germany00000
2 Hungary Hungary00000
3 Scotland flag Scotland00000
4 Switzerland Switzerland00000

Group B

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Albania national flag Albania00000
2 Croatia Croatia00000
3 Italy Italy00000
4 Spain Spain00000

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Denmark Denmark00000
2 England flag England00000
3 Serbia Serbia00000
4 Slovenia Slovenia00000

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Austria Austria00000
2 France France00000
3 Netherlands Netherlands00000
4 Poland Poland00000

Group E

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Belgium Belgium00000
2 Romania Romania00000
3 Slovakia Slovakia00000
4 Ukraine Ukraine00000

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
1 Czech Republic Czech Republic00000
2 Georgia Georgia00000
3 Portugal Portugal00000
4 Turkey Turkey00000


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!