'Denmark Robbed Blind!': Controversy Erupts in England's Euro 2020 Semifinal Win Over the Danes

© REUTERS / LAURENCE GRIFFITHSSoccer Football - Euro 2020 - Semi Final - England v Denmark - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - July 7, 2021 Denmark's Joakim Maehle and Yussuf Poulsen with teammates applaud the fans after the match
Soccer Football - Euro 2020 - Semi Final - England v Denmark - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - July 7, 2021 Denmark's Joakim Maehle and Yussuf Poulsen with teammates applaud the fans after the match - Sputnik International, 1920, 08.07.2021
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England made history on Wednesday, making it through to their maiden European Championship final after beating Denmark 2-1 in a nerve-racking game at Wembley. The Three Lions will attempt to win their first major international trophy in 55 years when they face Italy in the tournament final on Sunday.
Home favourites England defeated a gritty Denmark in extra-time to finally end their hoodoo in the semifinals of big football competitions, but their victory came with a huge controversy.
Harry Kane and his men were under tremendous pressure after Denmark surged ahead with the help of Mikkel Damsgaard's sensational free kick in the 30th minute.
However, urged on by a raucous home crowd, Gareth Southgate's team found their mojo almost immediately as they forced the Danish centre-back Simon Kjær to commit a mistake, which eventually resulted in an own goal from the AC Milan defender.
With the score tied at 1-1, the match went into extra-time and that's where a dubious decision by the referee led to an uproar.
The actual drama unfolded in the 103rd minute, when English winger Rahim Sterling somehow managed to escape through Denmark's defence to reach the box before being challenged by defender Joakim Mæhle.
Even though it looked like the contact was minimal, referee Danny Makkelie thought it was enough to award a penalty to England after VAR confirmed that Mæhle had indeed touched Sterling.
Kane opted to take the penalty and although Danish goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel managed to save his penalty, the Tottenham striker succeeded in scoring a goal on the rebound to send England into their first-ever Euro final with a hard fought 2-1 victory.
It was Kane's fourth goal of the tournament, which put him on level terms with the legendary Gary Lineker for scoring the most combined goals at the Euros and FIFA World Cups as an English player.
​The 27-year-old won the Golden Boot at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, where he scored six goals. With his strike against Denmark on Wednesday he took his goal tally to 10 in major tournaments.
Lineker has the same number of goals combined in both competitions.
Despite England's win and Kane's record-breaking feat, his controversial strike set off a massive firestorm on Twitter.
If Kane's debatable penalty wasn't enough, a second controversy erupted soon after as footage on social media showed a fan pointing a laser pen at Schmeichel from the stands.
Former Indian footballer Mehtab Hossain, though, feels that the whole controversy was a sham.
"I don't understand what the whole controversy is all about. Once the VAR confirmed Joakim Mæhle touched Rahim Sterling, there was no doubt about the legality of the penalty", he told Sputnik on Thursday.
"England deserved to win as they were the better side throughout the match and I am quite confident they will win the Euro title on Sunday", Hossain added.
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