ENGLAND 1, DENMARK 0
A late goal from Daniel Sturridge ensured England’s penultimate home friendly before the finals of the World Cup was a winning one.
It looked as though it would be a frustrating night for England before Sturridge’s 82nd minute header finally vanquished plucky non-qualifiers Denmark as he transferred his electrifying club form to the international stage.
Until then the Danes had provided stout resistance as they looked set to hold England to a goalless draw, largely thanks to an inspired display by Danish keeper Kasper Schmeichel, though Raheem Sterling also hit the upright.
It was only when England brought on Danny Welbeck for the final half hour that he provided the attacking spark that had been lacking while there was also an impressive cameo from Adam Lallana.
England keeper Joe Hart was also called into action to prevent Denmark from recording a third successive win against England as they also had their moments.
Manager Roy Hodgson was delighted with the win saying: “I was pleased with the second-half performance and in particular with the young players and the energy they brought to the game and their determination to get behind a packed Danish defence.
“And when we did so, we found a keeper in outstanding form.”
Hodgson pointed to the young in the squad saying half the players in the 30-man squad were aged 23 years or under.
And to underline the point, he added in the second half Gary Cahill, Glen Johnson, Joe Hart and Steven Gerrard were the only senior players on the pitch.
“I chose to out in a lot of youngish players and when they came off they can feel they have done a good job and improved their chances. I cannot say anything negative about the young players.”
Hodgson was unhappy with the tempo of the game in the first half adding it improved in the second half when they got the ball forward quicker.
Denmark manager Morten Olsen was convinced his side would have won had Christian Eriksson not been ruled out through injury adding the influential midfield man would have made an enormous difference to their team.
Liverpool and Manchester provided eight members of England’s starting line-up while there were a further six players from the two cities on the bench.
Indeed, it was the first time since 1977 that Liverpool had provided five starters – captain Gerrard, Johnson, Jordan Henderson, Sturridge and Sterling.
United were represented by Wayne Rooney and Chris Smalling while City’s Hart was the last line of defence.
Denmark were captained by Liverpool’s Daniel Agger while former City keeper Schmeichel was winning his third cap for the Danes.
England suffered an early injury scare after Jack Wilshere was hurt after a sliding challenge from Agger, but the Arsenal midfield man was able to continue after lengthy treatment to his left ankle.
Michael Krohn-Dehli and Rooney had goal attempts, but both blazed over the crossbar as neither goalkeeper had anything meaningful to do in a tedious opening half hour.
There was an anxious moment six minutes before the break when Jakob Poulsen burst through on goal and nicked the ball past Hart only for a combination of Cahill and Ashley Cole to clear the danger as the loose ball trickled towards the empty net.
England finished the half with a flurry and had two great chances to take the lead when Sterling flicked the ball on to the upright after a low, left-wing cross from Cole
Schmeichel then came to Denmark’s rescue with a brilliant block inside the six-yard box to deflect Sturridge’s shot over the crossbar for a corner.
There was an England debut for Luke Shaw as Southampton’s teenage left back replaced Cole at the restart while just short of the hour Wilshere and Rooney made way for Lallana and Welbeck.
England were lucky not to fall behind midway through the second period when a fortunate ricochet put substitute Morten Rasmussen clean through, but Hart dashed from his line to make a vital block.
Welbeck ought to have given England the lead when he twice burst clean through, but each time Schmeichel raced from his line to make vital blocks. They were saves his father Peter, Denmark’s most-capped player, would have been proud to have made.
Schmeichel, who was winning only his third full cap for the Danes, was called upon again to turn over a fiercely-struck shot from Sturridge as England finished the game strongly.
The pressure finally paid dividends as England made the all-important breakthrough with eight minutes left.
Lallana crossed the ball from the left of the box and Sturridge, six yards out, steered a header beyond the despairing dive of Schmeichel.