Match Report by Mike Payne to come

There had been nothing to suggest in the early stages of England's opening European Championship match that Graham Taylor's side would not make a winning start to their bid for success.  Denmark's late summons to replace the outcast Yugoslavs had left them short on preparation, and Taylor's team was going into the game with just one defeat in his two years as national manager.

To the surprise of those people who had believed he would make his victory attempt with three centre-halves, England began the game with a 4-4-2 line-up.  The loss of three right full-backs through injury had left the squad without a recognised right-back and Keith Curle was asked to fill an emergency and play there against the Danes.  Alan Smith was chosen as striking partner to Gary Lineker with the manager clearly feeling the Danes might be vulnerable in the air.

England might have had the ideal start when Lineker's dash down the right flank and cross caught the Danes flat and shapeless.  But David Platt, having anticipated the cross and made his run, arrived a yard ahead of the ball and was unable to adjust to finish off what would have been a wonderful opening move.  This was to be one of several chances falling to England in the first half where there seemed no real cause for alarm, other than from the measured and finely weighted passes of Brian Laudrup.  Platt could himself have had a hat-trick on another day, while Paul Merson engineered a wonderful chance for himself, only to drive the ball across the face of goal.

With Curle finding the right-back position uncomfortable after an early caution, the Danes were beginning to cause alarm with heir quick acceleration.  Bent Christensen might well have embarrassed England, but lifted a fine opportunity created by Laudrup over the crossbar and in the 66th minute John Jensen hit the England upright.

The introduction of Tony Daley for Curle in the 62nd minute brought a flicker of hope as Peter Schmeichel was forced into a tip-over save.  But then the Danes had yet another glorious opportunity in the 77th minute when Laudrup was through on goal only to steer his shot wide of the target.  What had started as an encouraging performance ended with some worrying aspects for the England management team who had anticipated getting off to a winning start against Denmark. - The F.A. England Year 1992-93, Stanley Paul & Co Ltd, London, 1992, pages 17-18.

England were hustled out of their stride by a Danish team surprised to find themselves in the finals following the barring of war-torn Yugoslavia.  Concentrating on quick and incisive counter attacks, it was Denmark who looked most likely to break the deadlock and England had a lucky escape when a shot from John Jensen struck a post with goalkeeper Chris Woods beaten.  The English defence missed the steadying influence of injured Mark Wright, but Carlton Palmer gave a good account of himself against a Danish side in which Brian Laudrup was outstanding as the orchestrator of their attacks.  The Danes got better and better as the tournament wore on and finally emerged as the unexpected champions. - Norman Giller