England drops Foden, Greenwood for quarantine breach

Southgate's preparations for the match were thrown into flux when Phil Foden and Mason Greenwood were banished from the squad for breaking coronavirus protocols in the aftermath of Sunday's (AEST) 1-0 win over Iceland.

Conor Coady and Kalvin Phillips made their debuts but a solitary blocked shot was all England had to show for its forgettable first-half efforts, with Kasper Dolberg almost giving Denmark a deserved lead.

Harry Kane had a stoppage-time effort hacked off the line by Mathias Jorgensen when Kasper Schmeichel erred, but that near-outcome would have flattered England.

Southgate's tactical switch saw his side control significant chunks of possession early on, although the front three of Raheem Sterling, Jadon Sancho and captain Kane were frequently isolated. 

Denmark went closest to the breakthrough before half-time - Barcelona forward Martin Braithwaite flashing a 31st-minute shot past the post from the edge of the area before Dolberg brought a fine save from Jordan Pickford, Christian Eriksen having left former Tottenham team-mate Eric Dier in his wake.

Eriksen clumping a 65th-minute free-kick high into the stand behind Pickford was a less astute contribution to a contest that continued to plod.

England belatedly crafted a clear opening with a little over 20 minutes remaining, with Kane unable to convert Kieran Trippier's left-wing cross at the far post.

Kasper Schmeichel then saved unconvincingly from Sterling, with Mason Mount's introduction in place of Sancho having belatedly injected some playmaking impetus for the visitors.

Eriksen hacked over from 10 yards under timely pressure from Joe Gomez before Kane almost made it two last-gasp wins from two.