A lacklustre England missed the chance to wrap up qualification for the Euro 2024 knockout stages with a game to spare owing to a 1-1 draw with Denmark in Group C at the Deutsche Bank Park.
Four days on from their unconvincing 1-0 win over Serbia, Gareth Southgate's men again struck early through Harry Kane, but in an all-too familiar tale, they immediately dropped off after taking the lead.
The Three Lions were punished for their abysmal play when Morten Hjulmand rifled in a stunning 25-yard strike off the post and in, and despite a couple of bright moments - including a Phil Foden strike which hit the post - England were pitiful.
Southgate's men are still top of the section on four points - two clear of Denmark and Slovenia and three clear of Serbia, whom they cannot be caught by - but the fight for a top-two finish will go down to the final day.
Gareth Southgate's men assumed their rightful position at the summit by beating Serbia 1-0 on Monday - even if their success was not all that inspiring - and will be guaranteed a first-placed finish if they win tonight.
Meanwhile, Denmark were forced to accept a point in a 1-1 stalemate versus Slovenia in their opening battle and have been bumped down to third by their recent opponents' draw with Serbia earlier today.
Ahead of the reunion of the Euro 2020 semi-final foes, time for a look at the team news...
SUBS: Ronnow, Hermansen, Zanka, Kjaer, Kristensen, Dreyer, Bah, Norgaard, Jensen, Skov Olsen, Dolberg, Poulsen, Bruun Larsen, Damsgaard
SUBS: Ramsdale, Henderson, Konsa, Gomez, Dunk, Wharton, Mainoo, Palmer, Eze, Gallagher, Bowen, Toney, Gordon, Watkins
Still no Luke Shaw, though - he has been restricted to individual training in recent days. No England appearance in over a year for him!
There should be no question marks over Marc Guehi, though - what a monstrous display from him against Serbia.
Only Peter Shilton can boast as many for the Three Lions, meaning that Pickford will break the record with another shut-out here.
So many feats being matched or surpassed at the Euros!
Wishful thinking here, but if England win the tournament and Pickford plays every game without conceding a goal, he will leapfrog Gordon Banks in the all-time clean sheet charts.
Of course, England boasted a perfect defensive record at Euro 2020 before facing... Denmark.
Christian Eriksen - for now - moves level with Simon Kjaer on a record 132 appearances for Denmark, although the latter will make his 133rd if he comes off the bench.
Some battle hotting up there!
A few eyes should still be drawn to the Scandinavians' midfield, more specifically Morten Hjulmand, who has apparently earned some Premier League admirers with his displays for Sporting Lisbon.
He will miss Denmark's final group game against Serbia if he is booked tonight, though.
Could be two pages of history written by the Everton man tonight!
England remain top thanks to Serbia snatching a dramatic last-gasp point against Slovenia just now, and a win for the Three Lions will send them through to the last 16 as group winners.
Even if they win tonight, Serbia could still overtake them on the final matchday, as would England or Slovenia if there were to be a victor in that battle.
I think this is what they call hotting up.
Hjulmand was critical of his side's "passive" play afterwards; think some England fans can empathise there.
The Three Lions let Serbia back into the game in the second half but certainly had the best chance to score again, only for Predrag Rajkovic to magnificently tip Harry Kane's header onto the bar.
And England have now won each of their last four opening games at major tournaments. But how many times have they won their opening two matches at a Euros?
Zero.
Seems scarcely believable, does it not?
If England are to finally break that barren streak tonight, defensive discipline will no doubt be key, as they have recorded five successive group-stage clean sheets at the European Championships.
Any guesses on the last man to breach England's goal before the knockout rounds?
The answer is... Gareth Bale. Scored for Wales at Euro 2016 thanks to Joe Hart's help before Jamie Vardy and Daniel Sturridge hit back.
Now, to never mention that tournament again.
Meanwhile, only one of Denmark's last six Euros group matches has ended in victory - their 4-1 thrashing of Russia three years ago - but the Scandinavians hold the edge when it comes to recent form...
That defeat was a surprise one - a 2-0 reverse to Northern Ireland in qualifying - although that was inconsequential in the grand scheme of things.
Still, that Mikkel Damsgaard free kick...
As England have already shown though, one strike is all it takes. Little ode to the unofficial Liverpool anthem.
I suspect that may be mentioned just once or twice tonight.
Out of respect for David Seaman - one of my goalkeeping heroes - that is all I will say on that tournament too.
Just seen a shot of the closed roof here in Frankfurt - not sure I will ever get used to that. Wonder if some of the players feel the same?
For me, this one will be as tight as the most recent meetings have been, and probably not very eventful in the final third, but England's attacking X-factor certainly outweighs that of Denmark.
One-nil to the Three Lions.
Neither of those nations can face England in the last 16, though - win the group tonight and the Three Lions will take on the third-placed team from groups D, E or F.
Leading the teams out is referee Artur Soares Dias, who also took charge of the 2023-24 Europa Conference League final.
England get us started at the Deutsche Bank Park.
The clean sheet record is still on!
Will the playmaker come out to play?
But Denmark come again.
He just looks so at home in the England defence.
Fair to say Denmark have just shaded it, though.
But Kyle Walker is down...
He seems OK, though.
No Kylian Mbappe substitution yellow-card farces though please.
Sighs of relief all round.
England huff and puff and the Manchester City man turns Hojbjerg inside and out before creating the angle for a shot, but he opens up his body too much and sends his strike high and wide.
He certainly has some critics to answer tonight.
Walker burns a daydreaming Victor Kristiansen for pace on the right-hand side, and the Manchester City man has so much time to deliver the ball.
His cross takes a nick off two pairs of Danish legs before falling at Kane's feet, and he cannot miss from a few yards out!
Brilliant work from Walker to chase a seemingly lost cause, but Kristiansen was caught completely unawares.
They were probing around the England box just now, but the offside flag halts their progress.
To be fair to the Tottenham Hotspur man, he looked to have slipped on the pitch, which has already had lumps of turf ripped up.
"I was not surprised by the start to this match; Denmark are a strong outfit, and they look comfortable in possession.
"The pitch will be a concern to both sides, though, with Walker already seeing his foot give way. Hojlund's pace and movement has the potential to cause England problems, but Southgate's side have worked their way into the contest, and Kane was never going to miss from there.
"It is the start that England wanted, but they did not really kick on against Serbia, and Denmark have more than enough quality to hit back here."
The Leicester City man drags his Arsenal counterpart down and goes into the box.
Guehi peels away at the back post from the resulting free kick but can only volley the ball into the side netting.
England have been under the cosh since taking the lead and are not looking totally composed at the back.
This time, Wind has a go on the stretch but Guehi is there to deflect the ball over for a corner...
Vestergaard heads over, but the referee spotted a foul in there. England free kick.
We said Hjulmand would be one to watch tonight, and he has just smashed one in from 25 yards off the post.
England caught cold, and you have to say Denmark deserve it.
Wonderful strike from Hjulmand, woeful closing down from England, who have again been pretty lackadaisical since going ahead.
Many an excuse can be highlighted, but this has just not been good enough from England so far.
This one is blocked behind for a corner, but England need to wake up.
Poor choice. Schmeichel holds.
He's floating in that role now. Trippier all on his own on the left, although Bellingham is now helping him out.
He whips another one in from the right, but Guehi is there again and gets a bang from Hojlund for his troubles.
One minute added on.
Kane struck in his fourth successive major tournament after Kristiansen went to sleep, but the Three Lions then coincidentally dropped off and allowed Denmark back into the game.
Hjulmand's rocket has the Danes deservedly level, and England's structure has been non-existent. Far too easy for Hjulmand's side to send in crosses, let fly from distance or just win the ball back through a well-organised press.
Improvements. Needed.
Midfield control? Conor Gallagher, Kobbie Mainoo and Adam Wharton. Or the pizzazz of Eberechi Eze perhaps?
Guehi and Foden - to a degree - have at least done themselves justice.
A few times we have seen the England boys take out their frustrations verbally on one another too.
But credit to Denmark, who have smelled blood and have attacked like a famished shark.
Another nice little statistic for Kane here, but in reality, that may count for nought if England fail to switch on.
England only topping Denmark on the shots off target metric... and probably the midfielders dropping deep metric too.
"Even when England took the lead, I still sensed that Denmark were confident, and that proved to be the case as the first period developed.
"The leveller was a stunning hit, but England had been warned, with the Three Lions failing to push on. England should still have more than enough to make it through the group stage, but there have been some worrying signs.
"Is Alexander-Arnold in midfield working? Is there a way to get Foden into a more central position? Southgate has a lot to ponder ahead of a huge second 45 minutes of football here."
England now re-emerging for the second half. No changes it seems.
Sums up England's display so far.
Alexander-Arnold's ball over the top is on the money for Saka's run in behind, and the Arsenal man holds off Kristiansen before beating Schmeichel with a looping header, which lands just wide.
Despite creating that chance just now, Alexander-Arnold is hooked for stamina specialist Gallagher.
Some nice link-up between Saka and Foden sets the latter up to hit one from 20 yards, and his low strike whacks the foot of the post!
Saka balloons the follow-up over the top.
Wind and Kristiansen - who has struggled all evening - are off. Damsgaard and Bah come on.
Momentum just shifting here.
He has no choice but to go for the spectacular, which Schmeichel sees wide.
Denmark now have a free kick out on the left... Eriksen to take.
He catches Christensen late and is booked.
The Arsenal man goes for the deep delivery, but this one does not come off. Goal kick.
England subs are coming, by the way...
Rice has just given away a corner and rues the state of the pitch.
Hojlund is off for Denmark, on comes the towering Yussuf Poulsen.
A triple threat from the England boss. On come Jarrod Bowen, Eberechi Eze and Ollie Watkins.
Off come Foden, Kane and Saka.
Wow.
Twenty minutes for Southgate's bold changes to pay off.
Bellingham sends in a stunning through ball to find the run of the Aston Villa man, but Schmeichel closes the angle and forces the ball behind for a corner, which Denmark deal with.
Hojbjerg still gets one on goal from distance, which Pickford has to get down low to beat away.
Maehle now in the book for bringing down Bowen.
The Tottenham Hotspur lynchpin has done his chances of a big summer move no harm at all tonight. Exceptional display.
Another Hojbjerg shot from distance, another comfortable Pickford stop.
Denmark are certainly not out of this either - when the opportunity to press and break arises, they are taking them.
Hjulmand's last two throws of the dice. Eriksen and goalscorer Hjulmand take their leave for Christian Norgaard and Andreas Skov Olsen.
The Crystal Palace man loses out to Bah, who goes charging into the box, but Guehi sprints back and deflects the cross behind for a corner.
Again, England give the ball away in a dangerous area, and Hojbjerg's latest 20-yard strike - a beautiful curler - is agonisingly wide.
Pickford looked beaten!
Southgate urges calm as Norgaard picks up a yellow for bringing Gallagher down.
Pickford plays the free kick short to Walker, whose free kick is overhit and sails out for a goal kick.
But one final chance to launch it into the box now...
For the second game running, England struck the opening goal through a cross from the right - which Kane eventually turned in - but for whatever reason, they immediately dropped off and invited pressure.
Serbia could not capitalise, but Denmark could through a terrific Hjulmand strike, and neither side did enough to win the match in the second period.
England are still top, but qualification will have to wait.
Time to forget this one and move on? I reckon so.
Slovenia for England in five days time, while Denmark are soon to face Serbia, who are the only team who cannot overtake Southgate's men on the final group matchday.
A huge thank you to everyone who managed to grit their teeth and stay with us for that torturous watch. Our full match report can be found here.
Goodbye all!
