The Latest: Denmark coach bemoans late penalty in loss

Updated Jul. 7, 2021 7:17 p.m. ET

Associated Press

The Latest on soccer’s European Championship:

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Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand says he cannot understand how a decisive penalty was awarded against his team in the 2-1 loss to England in the European Championship semifinals.

Raheem Sterling lost his balance following a challenge in the area by Denmark defender Joakim Maehle and then fell to the ground under pressure by Mathias Jensen in the first half of extra time.

A penalty was awarded and the decision stood following a video review. Harry Kane’s spot kick was saved but he put in the rebound for the winning goal.

Hjulmand says “it was a penalty that shouldn’t have been a penalty and it’s something that annoys me right now.”

Hjulmand says its one thing is to lose a game “but this is a disappointment. It’s bitter.”

England coach Gareth Southgate says “there is VAR so I assume they checked it and stuck with the referee’s decision.”

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England is headed to the European Championship final after beating Denmark 2-1 in extra time.

England captain Harry Kane’s penalty kick was saved by goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel but the forward scored from the rebound in the 104th minute.

Denmark played the second half of extra time with 10 men because substitute Mathias Jensen came off injured and the team couldn’t make anymore changes.

The regulation 90 minutes finished 1-1.

England will face Italy in the final at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.

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England and Denmark are heading to extra time with the score level at 1-1 in the European Championship semifinals.

There were no goals in the second half but both teams had chances.

England defender Harry Maguire’s header was clawed away by goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel in the 55th minute. A shot by Denmark forward Kasper Dolberg was saved in the 59th.

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England and Denmark are level at 1-1 at halftime in the European Championship semifinals.

Denmark midfielder Mikkel Damsgaard gave his team the lead from a free kick in the 30th minute. England equalized when Denmark captain Simon Kjær scored an own-goal in the 40th while trying to stop a cross.

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The European Championship semifinal match between England and Denmark has started at Wembley Stadium.

The winner will face Italy on Sunday in the final. That match will also take place at Wembley.

England captain Harry Kane gave counterpart Simon Kjaer an England jersey with the No. 10 on it before the match started. Christian Eriksen wears the No. 10 shirt for Denmark but he is missing after suffering cardiac arrest in the team's opening match. He is recovering from the incident.

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Denmark and England are warming up on the field at Wembley Stadium less than an hour before kickoff in the European Championship semifinals.

Denmark’s goalkeepers were the first ones out and Danish fans cheered them and waved red and white flags that were left out on their seats. England’s keepers ran out onto the field shortly after and then the full squads from both teams began their warmup routines.

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Bukayo Saka has been recalled by England for the European Championship semifinal match against Denmark as a replacement for winger Jadon Sancho.

Saka missed England’s 4-0 win over Ukraine in the quarterfinals because of a unspecified minor injury.

England was otherwise unchanged.

Denmark will field the same team that started the 2-1 win over the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals.

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The England team has strolled onto the field at Wembley Stadium about 90 minutes before its European Championship semifinal match against Denmark.

The players came out wearing hoodies and tracksuits to the cheers of fans. The England band greeted them with a tune.

The winner will go on to play Italy in the final.

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Fans have started coming into Wembley Stadium hours before the European Championship semifinal match between England and Denmark.

The winner of the match will play Italy in the final on Sunday.

The atmosphere was also building outside the stadium with fans lighting flares, kicking balls high into the air and singing chants like “I’m England Till I Die.” Denmark fans were in far fewer numbers and some were wearing Viking helmets and carrying Danish flags.

About 60,000 fans are expected for the match.

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The mayor of Rome wants the Stadio Olimpico to be opened for fans to watch Italy in the European Championship final on the big screens.

Virginia Raggi posted a message on Twitter to the Italian Olympic committee the day after Italy beat Spain in a penalty shootout to reach Sunday’s final at Wembley Stadium in London.

She suggests projecting the final on the screens at the stadium “with a reduced capacity to respect anti-COVID measures.”

The stadium hosted Italy’s three group matches and the quarterfinal match between England and Ukraine at Euro 2020.

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The Danish soccer federation has invited 40 fans to fly to London on a chartered plane to watch the country’s national team face England in the European Championship semifinals.

Soccer fans from other countries have been prevented from attending matches at Wembley Stadium this week because of coronavirus restrictions in Britain.

The Danish federation says the lucky fans that were chosen to fly on the official delegation’s flight will be in a “bubble and have no contacts with others.”

The federation also says about 7,900 tickets for the match have been sold to Danes living in Britain and it has sent about 5,000 Danish flags to them “so Wembley will be as red and white as possible.”

Nearly 60,000 fans were at Wembley on Tuesday for Italy’s penalty shootout victory over Spain in the first semifinal match. A similar number is expected for the second.

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Will it be England or will it be Denmark against Italy in the European Championship final?

The two teams will play in the second semifinal match at Wembley Stadium.

England has not lost a match nor conceded a goal so far at Euro 2020 and will be playing in its national soccer stadium.

Denmark has lost two matches and lost its best player. Midfielder Christian Eriksen suffered cardiac arrest in the team’s opening match and had to be resuscitated on the field with a defibrillator. He’s now recovering at home but could attend the final.

This is the farthest Denmark has gotten at a major soccer tournament since winning the European Championship title in 1992.

The final is scheduled for Sunday at Wembley.

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