World Cup - England 3 Denmark 0

England will face either Brazil or Belgium in the World Cup quarter finals after an efficient display in Niigata to knock Denmark out.

Morten Olsen’s Danes had spells of possession in the game but they never created the chances to get back in the game or look like its winners.

England did the damage early.

Danish goalkeeper Tomas Sorensen spilled a Rio Ferdinand header over the goal line from a fifth minute David Beckham corner kick driven over from the left hand side after Martin Laursen had needlessly conceded the corner.

Ferdinand met the corner and sent his header from the right hand post back towards goal and Sorsensen caught the ball but let it fall out of his grasp and over the line.

To make the Danish start even worse, centre back Thomas Helveg was injured at the corner kick and replaced by Bogelund.

Michael Owen did not make the most of a 10th minute volley chance after a clip through from David Beckham and Sorensen had to save at Emile Heskey’s feet after the England striker shouldered a defender out of the way to charge through at goal.

Five minutes later Owen put England well on the way to the next round.

A cross field pass from Paul Scholes on the right wing over ran to Trevor Sinclair running on the left wing.

Sinclair found Nicky Butt with his back to goal and Butt’s flick through was deflected off a defender and ran through to Owen to trap the ball, turn and clip the ball wide of Sorensen for the second goal.

The Danes went on to dominate possession and they eventually ended the first half with a 64% share of the game but they did little with it.

Ebbe Sand carried the ball in the 27th minute from the right wing and hit a cross shot wide of the far post.

But it was Heskey that crushed Danish resistance.

He swept in on 44 minutes after the Danes fluffed a headed clearance allowing Beckham to slip the ball square into the striker’s run for an emphatic finish through Sorensen.

The second half saw Michael Owen taken off for Robbie Fowler and Kieron Dyer replacing Paul Scholes with Scholes looking to be carrying a knock.

David Seaman dropped a long range drive from Tomas Gravesen and Sol Campbell cleared in the 51st minute.

England only had to close out the win but Denmark tried to get back into the game and Jon Dahl Tomasson missed an open goal with a header unmarked in front of goal after Gravesen drove in a cross from the right wing.

Beckham forced a save from Sorensen with a drive from distance and substitute Robbie Fowler crossed for Sinclair to head over the bar in the 67th minute.

England improved their touch on the ball with the confidence of three goals in the second half but were clearly pushed back for much of the first session not that it mattered. Dropping deep remains a definite tendency in Eriksson’s side.

Substitute Claus Jensen forced Seaman to back-pedal and tip over an 83rd minute chip but Rio Ferdinand was a commanding presence in the England defence and the game was won effectively at half-time. Danny Mills and Ashley Cole were also good at snuffing out Danish wing play.

Beckham remains peripheral with a severe lack of pace after his recent injury but had the decisive assist in the first and third goal. The first strike will be claimed by Ferdinand but it may be recorded as an own goal by Sorensen who got the last touch over the line.

England will hope that Scholes is fit for Friday with Owen probably rested for the second half of this win.