Yesterday, Italy outlasted Spain on penalties to book a place in the Euro 2020 final. Will expectant England join them for Sunday’s showpiece at Wembley? Or will surprise semifinalists
England, a pre-tournament favorite, sits two wins from Euro 2020 glory, as expected. And they have reached this point with minimal drama and without conceding a single goal in five matches. After banishing their German ghosts in the round of 16, they brushed aside upset-minded Ukraine 4-0 in Saturday’s quarterfinal. In 63 minutes against Ukraine, England equaled their goal total from their first four matches.
After needing some late drama to reach the knockout stage, Denmark eliminated Wales and the Czech Republic to get here. The last time they reached this point in the Euros or World Cup was at Euro 1992, when they beat Germany 2-0 in the final.
Their Euro 1992 run featured a memorable event, as Denmark only gained entry to Euro 1992 less than two weeks before the tournament due to Yugoslavia’s suspension. This time around, their tournament started with the horrifying collapse of star midfielder Christian Eriksen and consecutive losses to Finland and Belgium. Eriksen has recovered from his collapse, and Denmark has recovered from those two early losses. A Denmark win could see them both at Wembley on Sunday, with Eriksen potentially attending the match as a spectator.
Will England wrap up a spot in a “home” Euro 2020 final? Or will Denmark continue their amazing run into a final against Italy?
Euro 2020 Semifinal Matchup and Odds – England vs Denmark
Euro 2020 Semifinal Matchup: England vs Denmark, ESPN, 3:00 pm ET
England vs Denmark Odds
- Moneyline: England -135, Draw +230, Denmark +460
- Total: OVER 2.5 (+150), UNDER 2.5 (-184)
- Odds to Qualify for the Next Round: England -320, Denmark +245
Odds to Win Euro 2020
- Italy -140
- England +125
- Denmark +850
England vs Denmark Betting Preview and Best Bets
Things could not be going better for England from a defensive standpoint. Five games, not a single goal conceded. It is not easy to go through a group stage without conceding a goal, much less continue that run through multiple knockout stage matches. Italy did not allow a goal as they won all three of their Group A matches, but they have conceded in all three of their knockout wins.
This defensive excellence is not a strange thing for England, however. In ten matches in 2021, England has conceded only one goal, which came in a 2-1 win over Poland in March.
Can they keep it up against a Denmark side that has scored ten goals in three games? That Denmark has done so without their star attacking player is rather notable. Contributions have come from several sources, led by Kasper Dolberg’s three goals and three assists by Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
Fast starts have frequently featured for Denmark at Euro 2020. They have led at halftime in their last four matches, with Belgium the only team that managed to turn the match around after the break.
While they were the superior team against Russia, Wales, and the Czech Republic, they don’t have that advantage against England. With that in mind, another fast start would be highly beneficial, because then they can set up to withstand the pressure that will come. Playing from behind and having to push for a goal would open them up, which would not be ideal.
England vs Denmark Best Bet
Denmark under 0.5 goals (+100): This is where it all falls apart for England, right? Since winning the 1966 World Cup, England has played in four semifinals: the Euros in 1968 and 1996, and the World Cup in 1990 and 2018. Each time, they failed to make the final. And that doesn’t include all of the other tournaments where their hopes ended short of the last four.
But if ever there was a time to break the curse, this is it. They have gotten here by keeping things neat and tidy at the back, and that should continue today.
