Penalty margin from Kane: England defeated Denmark and is in the EM

England in penalty luck! Carried by the spectacular atmosphere in the football temple Wembley, the Three Lions reached the final of a European Championship for the first time and ended Denmark's wonderful summer trip. In a tense semi-final in front of 64,950 spectators on Wednesday evening, thanks to top striker Harry Kane, the English won 2: 1 (1: 1, 1: 1) after extra time and on Sunday (9 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the European Football Championship, in ZDF and MagentaTV) also in London in the final hit against Italy after their only second title after the World Cup triumph in 1966. Coach Gareth Southgate was able to defeat his personal semi-final trauma with the penalty missed against Germany in 1996 after 25 years.

In extra time, Kane (104th minute) was on hand with a penalty margin after Danish goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel had parried his controversial penalty. In the regular season, the Three Lions came back into play with an own goal by Danish captain Simon Kjaer (39th). The Danes' lead through a free-kick from youngster Mikkel Damsgaard (30th) lasted only nine minutes. 25 days after the dramatic collapse of star player Christian Eriksen, Danish Dynamite was proud to say goodbye to the Pan-European tournament.

It was the very special football swing that swirled through London, through all of England.

The longing for this time and again unattainable title, pent up in more than half a century, was palpable everywhere, but nowhere more than in the stands at Wembley Stadium.

“It's coming home”, “Sweet Caroline” and of course “God save the Queen” were fervently voiced as classics of the EM summer.

And the corona worries?

Collectively pushed aside in front of the biggest backdrop since the outbreak of the pandemic.

Magnificent gate from Damsgaard

England shows its new self-confidence against initially deep Danes. Kane hit a good diagonal ball on Raheem Sterling (6th), who came a step too late in the penalty area. Shortly afterwards, the Manchester City striker (13th) didn't put enough pressure on the ball. Denmark counterattacked and slowly dared to do more. Damsgaard took a too fast throw from England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford (15th) - but the lapse did not result in more than one corner. Damsgaard (25th) approached with a flick.

A little later, Pickford had broken the English record of 720 minutes without conceding Gordon Banks from the year of the 1966 World Cup triumph. But then Damsgaard aimed exactly with a wonderful free kick. Pickford's mark stopped after the first goal against the tournament at 725 minutes. Kane recognized the Three Lions' precarious position. Now stay awake and free in your head - that was how the star striker's gesture was to be understood. The backdrop at Wembley couldn't become a mortgage.

And England came back quickly and aggressively as demanded by captain Kane and coach Southgate on the sidelines. Sterling initially failed completely free-standing because of the overwhelmingly responsive flattery. In the next attack, Sterling Kjaer forced an own goal after a cross from Bukayo Sako, who had returned to the starting line-up for Jadon Sancho from Dortmund. One series was now broken. The previous seven games of both teams at Wembley had always won one team 1-0.

Pickford had to go back right after the break. He fished a shot from Kasper Dolberg (51st) from the lower corner. The Schmeichel, who had a lot of England experience in Leicester, did the same with a dangerous header from Harry Maguire (55th). Now the game was played with an open visor. And England increased the pressure. The so often passive style of play at this EM has been abandoned. Much higher pressed Kane and Chelsea's Champions League winner Mason Mount against the Danes, who were only trying to keep order.

The clock ticked down. The tension increased noticeably and it became hectic. England vehemently and unsuccessfully demanded a penalty when Kane (75th) went down in the penalty area after contact with Christian Nörgaard's leg. Now good nerves were required. The last chance in regular time was given by Kane in the seventh minute of stoppage time. After three minutes of extra time, the Spurs striker Schmeichel forced the next brilliant act. An English power play began and then Sterling fell under the distress of Joakim Maehle and Mathias Jensen. This time there was a penalty and Kane scored in the margin, luckily for England.