England wins again, reaches semifinals at Euro 2020

By: The Associated Press Posted: 4:08 PM CDT Saturday, Jul. 3, 2021

ROME (AP) — Harry Kane scored twice and England overwhelmed Ukraine 4-0 Saturday to reach the European Championship semifinals.

Read this article for free:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

*First annual payment billed as $205.00 + GST for one year. This annual subscription will automatically renew at $233.00 + GST every 52 weeks (10% off the regular annual price of $259.35). Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.

ROME (AP) — Harry Kane scored twice and England overwhelmed Ukraine 4-0 Saturday to reach the European Championship semifinals.

Read unlimited articles for free today:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 03/07/2021 (1915 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

ROME (AP) — Harry Kane scored twice and England overwhelmed Ukraine 4-0 Saturday 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.

England's Harry Maguire, center top, scores his side's second goal during the Euro 2020 soccer championship quarterfinal match between Ukraine and England at the Olympic stadium in Rome at the Olympic stadium in Rome, Italy, Saturday, July 3, 2021. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, Pool)

England now goes back to London to face Denmark on Wednesday. The Danes beat the Czech Republic 2-1 in Baku.

Italy will face Spain in the other semifinal match on Tuesday, with the final next weekend also to be played at Wembley.

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.

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.

Ukraine, which was coming off a 2-1 extra-time win over Sweden, had relied on occasional counterattacks in the first half and produced a series of chances just before the break.

DENMARK 2, CZECH REPUBLIC 1

BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — Denmark, which has developed into a surprise contender after its tournament began with midfielder Christian Eriksen suffering cardiac arrest on the field, advanced to the semifinals 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.

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.

The place in the semifinals is the farthest Denmark has progressed at a major tournament since winning the European title in 1992.

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.

___

More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports