Euro 2020: We dug deeper and got there when it mattered, says England captain Harry Kane
England captain Harry Kane said his team showed great spirit by scoring a goal and beating Denmark 2-1 in the Euro 2020 semi-final on Wednesday, and insisted on immediately switching attention to Sunday’s final against Italy.
“Unbelievable – what a game though, credit to Denmark,” said Kane said.
“We dug deep and we got there when it mattered. We reacted really well – we’re in a final at home, what a feeling,” he added.
Kane’s goal means the Tottenham Hotspur striker is now England’s joint-highest scorer in major tournaments, moving level with Gary Lineker on 10 goals.
Mikkel Damsgaard gave Denmark a first-half lead at Wembley, but Harry Kane’s finish on the rebound completed the turnaround for England.
Raheem Sterling burst into the penalty area in extra time of the semifinal match against Denmark and appeared to lose his balance following a challenge by Joakim Maehle. The England winger eventually fell to the ground after a nudge from another Denmark player, Mathias Jensen.
There was controversy over the decision to award England a penalty for a foul on Raheem Sterling, but the Manchester City forward felt the referee made the right call.
“I went into the box, he stuck his right leg out, and he touched my leg so it was a penalty,” said Sterling.
It was a top performance. We had to dig deep, it was the first time we had conceded in the tournament, we regrouped well and showed a great team spirit to win the game.
“We just had to stay patient. We knew that with the aggression we had in the team, the pace, the power, it was a matter of time before we brought them down and we got the penalty in the end,” added Sterling.
Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand said he cannot understand how such a big call was made at such a crucial moment.
“You can’t pass by a decision that has so much influence on the game,” Hjulmand said. “I couldn’t see that as a penalty.
“One thing is to lose a game … but this is a disappointment. It’s bitter.”
Denmark’s players were also unhappy, surrounding referee Danny Makkelie after he blew for a penalty.
