England manage ‘dismal’ draw as Harry Kane questions effort before Spain down Italy in dominant display

England has been far from convincing in a 1-1 draw with Denmark even if the result will in all likelihood ensure their progression to the round of 16 at the European Championship.

Harry Kane gave England another fast start at Euro 2024, scoring in the 18th minute of Thursday’s match in Frankfurt, but the captain was substituted in the second half as the team faded amid a largely dismal display.

England coach Gareth Southgate removed his forward line in a triple substitution with 25 minutes to play but it made little difference to the flat performance.

Denmark had equalised in the 34th minute when Morten Hjulmand fired in a powerful low shot from long distance after Kane gave away the ball in defence.

The Danes made England look ragged in the second half, attacking the end from where English fans’ anxiety and jeers increased late in the game.

England now has four points from two games, after edging past Serbia 1-0 in their first match. That points tally always has been enough to advance in the 24-team Euros format but England still look out of sorts.

An honest Kane, who had a poor day despite his goal, admitted: “It’s a time to stay calm .... a time to reflect and to try to improve, but step by step, we’ll get there.

“We’re struggling, with or without the ball. With the ball, we haven’t been good enough ... everybody’s dropping below their level a bit.”

England can still finish in any position from first to third in the Group C standings after playing unbeaten Slovenia next Tuesday.

Slovenia drew 1-1 with Serbia earlier on Thursday, four days after getting the same result against Denmark.

Southgate had defended his players from what seemed like unfair criticism for the nervy nature of the win against Serbia. Still, this performance was much harder to defend with Jude Bellingham strangely subdued and the stellar strike trio of Kane, Phil Foden and Bukayo Saka all being removed in one sweep.

Southgate looked flat-out furious in the 85th after England repeatedly gave away the ball and surrendered a series of chances. He barked at his players from the dugout with both index fingers pointing to his temples, urging them to think.

England seized the lead on sleepiness in the Denmark defence. Hesitation by Victor Kristiansen let right-back Kyle Walker surge past him to steal the ball for a pass across the goalmouth.

When the ball reached Kane he poked home a left-footed shot for a record-extending 64th England goal.

Kane’s careless pass out of defence soon afterwards went to Hjulmand, who strode forward to fire a low shot past goalkeeper Jordan Pickford with a fine shot from distance that went in off his right-hand post.

Earlier in Munich, a late strike denied Slovenia a first-ever win in a European Championship as Serbia snatched a 1-1 draw in Munich.

Zan Karnicnik’s 69th-minute goal put Slovenia on the brink of a historic win until substitute Luka Jovic grabbed the equaliser deep into stoppage time.

In Gelsenkirchen, Spain advanced to the round of 16 after a 1-0 win against defending champions Italy.

A 55th-minute own goal by Italy’s Riccardo Calafiori handed victory to Spain in the first clash of international heavyweights at this championship.

Three-time winners Spain totally dominated the Group B game at the Veltins Arena with 16-year-old winger Lamine Yamal further enhancing his reputation as one of soccer’s most exciting young stars with an outstanding performance.

Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma kept the score down with a string of fine saves until inadvertently pushing the ball into the legs of Calafiori, who couldn’t prevent it from ricocheting into his own goal.