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LAST 16 REVIEW
ENGLAND 3-0 DENMARK
England 3-0 Denmark
Sorensen og 5
Owen 22
Heskey 44
ENGLAND cruised through to the World Cup quarter-finals in rainy Niigata - turning in a consumeate performance ass Denmark were brushed aside 3-0 in the first half.
The game started calamitously for Denmark - as England scored after just five minutes. David Beckham's deep corner was headed towards goal by Rio Ferdinand, and Thomas Sorensen bungled the ball into his own net before Michael Owen and Emile Heskey made sure.
Experienced defender Thomas Helveg was then substituted with what looked like a nasty leg injury, before England moved 2-0 up midway through the half.
An intelligent ball inside from Trevor Sinclair found Nicky Butt, whose flick deflected off Thomas Gravesen and fell perfectly for Owen. The Liverpool striker turned sharply, and precisely rolled his shot just inside the far post.
Ebbe Sand missed a great chance from 10 yards after cutting inside two defenders, and Thomas Gravesen saw his long-range piledriver palmed over by David Seaman, before England moved 3-0 up just before the break.
A quick throw by Danny Mills caught out the Danish defence, and Owen rolled the ball to Heskey, who blasted home a low, early shot under Thomas Sorensen from 25 yards.
England barely needed to get out of third gear after the interval, and played a patient, containing game that rarely jeopardised the 3-0 advantage.
Both Michael Owen and Paul Scholes were substituted amid concerns of slight groin and ankle injuries respectively, but Sven Goran Eriksson gave no hint that they'd miss the quarter-final showdown in six days time.
England: David Seaman; Danny Mills, Sol Campbell, Rio Ferdinand, Ashley Cole; David Beckham (capt), Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes (Kieron Dyer 47), Trevor Sinclair; Michael Owen (Robbie Fowler HT), Emile Heskey (Teddy Sheringham 69).
Denmark: Thomas Sorensen; Thomas Helveg (Kasper Bogelund 6), Rene Henriksen (capt), Martin Laursen, Niclas Jensen; Dennis Rommedahl, Stig Tofting (Claus Jensen 58), Thomas Gravesen, Jesper Gronkjaer; Ebbe Sand, Jon Dahl Tomasson.