England fans were left fuming over the state of the pitch at the Deutsche Bank Park stadium as the Three Lions continued their Euro 2024 campaign against Denmark.
Gareth Southgate selected an unchanged XI in a bid to maintain ‘continuity’ but the Three Lions lacked cohesion in the early stages.
In fairness, England’s attempts to replicate the fast start they made against Serbia were hampered by the state of the playing surface.
The adverse weather in Frankfurt meant UEFA took the decision to play the game underneath a closed roof and the humid conditions contributed to the grass cutting up.
Huge chunks of turf went flying as players went into tackles or slid to make contact with the ball.
Kyle Walker nearly came a cropper in the early stages and was forced to change his footwear amid concerns he had sustained an ankle injury.
‘I just wonder whether it was one of those occasions when Kyle Walker burst forward earlier that he hurt himself,’ said BBC co-commentator Alan Shearer.
‘The turf did look like it gave way a little bit. It is cutting up all over. Different studs might be in order.
England fans couldn’t believe a game of this magnitude was being played out in such treacherous conditions with many fearing an injury was an inevitability.
‘Better Sunday league pitches than this,’ wrote one disgruntled supporter, while another added ‘Professional pitch> I don’t think so.’
‘The pitch is literally falling apart in this Enlgand vs Denmark match,’ said another supporter, while another called it an ‘absolute disgrace.’
England did at least make light of the conditions to open the scoring in the 18th minute when Harry Kane displayed all his predatory instincts to poach a scrappy opener.
The lead, however, last only 16 minutes when Kane squandered possession and Morten Hjulmand punished the error with a spectacular long-range strike.
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