Sweden Under-21s have booked a clash with Portugal at the Euro 2015 final after beating Denmark Under-21s 4-1 in Prague tonight.
John Guidetti stroked home a dubious penalty on 23 minutes, before Simon Tibbling doubled the lead minutes later to give the Swedes a healthy 2-0 half-time lead.
Uffe Bech threw the Danes a lifeline, but second-half subs Robin Quaison and Oscar Hiljemark made sure of the victory in the final 10 minutes as the Portuguese - who thumped Germany 5-0 earlier - await.
Below, relive the drama with our live text commentary.
So, England Under-21s have ben knocked out of a major competition. Again. Eliminated at the group stage. Again. But the show must go on people. Welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of tonight's all-Scandinavian clash between Denmark Under-21s and their Swedish counterparts in a Euro 2015 semi-final in Prague.
It's Saab versus Zenvo. Danish pastries versus Swedish meatballs. Abba versus, hmm, Whigfield. And it's Winner Takes All on this Saturday Night as both neighbouring countries renew hostilities and battle it out for a place in the final. It's 23 years ago since both of these nations endured contrasting emotions on the international scene. Why? Link my arm as we stroll down memory lane together.
Yesterday marked exactly 23 years since Denmark's senior team famously defied the odds by winning Euro 1992, courtesy of 2-0 win over the well-fancied Germans. Oh, and it was in Sweden, which would have made the victory that bit sweeter.
Meanwhile, at the European Under-21 Championships in 1992, the Swedes reached the final but lost 2-1 to Italy over both legs. Will they exorcise those demons and reach the final of this competition again, or will the young Danes draw inspiration from the way in which their senior counterparts went all the way in Gothenburg way back when? Time will tell.
Anywho, let's get down and dirty with a bit of team news, shall we? Stay tuned.
DENMARK XI: Busk; Scholz, Vestergaard, Jonsson, Knudsen; Christensen, Thomsen; Falk, Højbjerg, Bech, Poulsen
SWEDEN XI: Carlgren; Lindelöf, Helander, Milošević, Augustinsson; Khalili, Lewicki, Hiljemark, Tibbling; Guidetti, Kiese Thelin
Incidentally, I can confirm that the winner of this encounter will progress into the final and meet Portugal, who just beat Germany 5-0! To put that into context: the Germans thumped Denmark 3-0 in the group stages. Is that significant, should the Danes progress? Perhaps. But wow. You don't see many 5-0 demolitions in a semi-final of any competition.
We can't rule out Hakan Ericson's Sweden, though. All four of their points at the group stage were won from losing positions. This mob have a bit of resilience about them and, well, it'll be anything but easy for Denmark.
The teams are in for Denmark v Sweden #U21EURO pic.twitter.com/qA9qmHtEXI
— Tom Kell (@UEFAcomTomK) June 27, 2015
Right, both sets of players are entering the field and we'll have the national anthems very soon. Even some of the dark-haired Swedes have died their hair blonde I've noticed.
Denmark's anthem is being drowned out by Sweden fans, which goes to show how many of them are in attendance tonight. Quite a few I suspect.
KICKOFF: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand we're off in Prague. Sweden get us underway here folks and let's hope for a cracker. Portugal, who thumped Germany 5-0, await in the final.
Denmark dominated the possession stakes in the opening few minutes. They look very organised but, as Sweden have shown, they can score goals against the best. They held Portugal to a 1-1 draw in the group stage - and we saw what they did to Germany.
The Danes have swung in a few very decent free kicks and corners, with the giant Vestegaard the obvious target, but nothing has come from them as of yet. Still, Denmark, it has to be said, look very comfortable.
What a fantastic ball from Adullah Khalilli this is. The midfielder floats a wonderful cross into the box, but it's just over the head of Isaac Kiesse Thelin and the ball trickles out for a goal kick. First sign of danger from Sweden.
Sweden can't afford to get too many bodies forward tonight because Denmark have just demonstrated the speed of their counter-attack, which ultimately comes to nothing. What a great beard that is from Filip Helander, by the way. Magnificent.
We've seen the first real attempt at goal, as Rasmus Falk heads Pierre Hojberg's delicious cross just wide. We've got a corner though.
DISALLOWED GOAL: Denmark think they've got the lead, but it's chalked off as Youssouf Poulsen used his hand to reach that resulting corner, before eventually smashing home, but the initial handball was spotted. Well done officials.
We saw this from Vestegaard in the Germany game. He's a real marauding centre-half, and he's gotten forward plenty in this match already. He did so there again a moment ago, skipping past a few challenges before thrashing wide from outside the box. He's got decent feet for a giant to be fair.
Sweden just slowly but surely coming into the contest a little more in recent minutes but nothing to report from the men in yellow as of yet.
That famous Kolo/Yaya Toure is echoing around the Generali Arena. The tune is, anyway, lord knows who the subject(s) is.
PENALTY TO SWEDEN!
GOAL! Denmark 0-1 Sweden (John Guidetti penalty)
John Guidetti keeps his cool by rolling a penalty beyond Jakob Busk - but the decision did look a little soft it has to be said. It came about when Kiesse Thelin was seemingly fouled by Alexander Scholz in a rather innocuous coming together - but the referee saw intent and awarded the peno. Sweden won't care. 1-0.
GOAL! Denmark 0-2 Sweden (Simon Tibbling)
The Swedes, second best for much of the half so far it has to be said, take a huge step toward the final by going two-up. It's Simon Tibbling, who latches on to Guidetti's excellent pass - undoubtedly aided by the slip of defender Thomson - as the Swedish striker takes one touch and strokes beyond Busk. Nice composure. Guidetti's pass would've been cut out had Thomson not slipped, but again, Sweden won't care. 2-0.
CLOSE! This isn't far away at all as Denmark go close to pulling one back, with Poulsen heading narrowly wide following an excellent leap to reach Falk's cross. Good response by the Danes.
We've got an interesting scenario now because all four of Sweden's points in the group stages were won from losing positions. They're not accustomed to leading and it remains to be seen if Denmark can give them a taste of their own medicine by coming back.
You've got to feel for Denmark. No not because Nicklas Bendtner is running for prime minister, but because they've not done a whole lot wrong in this game. They were unlucky to concede the penalty, and again when Thomson slipped at the wrong moment. Yet, they're 2-0 down. It's a funny old game, isn't it? #cliche
SHOT! Guidetti has come to life since opening the scoring, and he bids for a second just now but his effort was never testing Busk, who checked his watch, had a sandwich, filed his tax returns and then gathered Guidetti's deflected shot.
This half has flown by init. Only six minutes left until the break, which is bizarre. Feels like kickoff was only a few minutes ago. Sweden still 2-0 up and, well, they definitely should be booking a final date with Portugal. But let's see what Denmark can do before and after the break.
SHOT! Not a bad effort from Pierre Hojberg, whose effort flies narrowly over the bar, but Patrik Carlgren probably had it covered. Four minutes till the break and Denmark not doing much, unfortunately for them and their fans.
CHANCE! It's almost game, set and match in Prague, as Tibbling gets to the byline before pulling back for Guidetti, who looks certain to tap home a third, but he's snuffed out by Vestegaard I think it was. Bizarrely, the Danes were pre-match favourites!
HALF TIME: Denmark 0-2 Sweden
Hmm, that was a little unexpected, no? Sweden Under-21s lead Denmark 2-0 in their Euro 2015 semi-final. John Guidetti converted what was a fairly dubious penalty with aplomb, before turning provider to set up Simon Tibbling, who capitalised on a slip from Nicolaj Thomson before slotting past Jakob Busk. That's the story of the half thus far folks.
In truth, Denmark haven't done a lot wrong. They were unlucky on both goals. That being said, they've not done much right either. Sweden have a cutting edge in the final third, whereas the Danes, well, don't - not yet anyway. Yussuf Poulson isn't doing much up there it has to be said. However, there's still 45 minutes in which to turn it around.
Rampant Portugal, who destroyed Germany 5-0 a little earlier, await in the final. It could be argued that Sweden - Portugal would make for a better final, having drawn 1-1 with them in the group stages. But Germany smashed Denmark 3-0 in the group stages, so lord knows how the Danes would fare.
RESTART: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand we're back underway in Prague, my friends. Denmark, trailing 2-0, kick us off once more but we've seen no changes from them as of yet. Surprising.
Ooooh this could've come to something. Hojberg swings a wonderful cross into the box, which Vestegaard flicks to the far post. Andreas Christensen looks like he's going to head home to reduce the arrears, but the initial header goes wide. Decent effort.
I honestly can't understand why Denmark boss Jess Thorup hasn't made changes. While his side didn't do much wrong in the first half, they also didn't do anything right and had no real clear-cut chances to speak of them. They need something else in their forward line - something that Poulson, at present, isn't providing. So we'll see.
Sweden still look comfortable in defence it has to be said. They haven't put a foot wrong and if I was a gambling man, which I am, I suspect they'll try to kill this game; take the sting out of it considerably. So far so good.
DENMARK SUB: We've seen our first Denmark sub, and it's about time really, as Jens Jonsson makes way for Fulham's Lasse Vigen Christensen. Is he the man to spark a comeback? Let's see.
Just a reminder that the winner of this semi will progress into the final and square off with Portugal, who demolished Germany 5-0 a little earlier.
SWEDEN SUB: Guidetti, who opened the scoring with a fine penalty, makes way for Mikael Ishak. He's a forward so it's very much a like-for-like change. Probably too early for them to sit back.
SAVE! We're 62 minutes deep but neither keeper has had many saves to make - until now, as Jakob Busk pushes Tibbling's stinging shot past the post. Good save that.
GOAL! Denmark 1-2 Sweden (Uffe Bech)
Where did this come from? Uffe Bech, who had done absolutely nothing in the game, pops up with a potentially huge goal - and from completely nothing. The ball is hoofed back into the box following a failed corner, as Andreas Christensen lobbed it into the area and it's not cleared by Helander, and Bech pokes into the top corner to throw Denmark a lifeline. Very good finish.
It's such a surprising goal to see Sweden concede, having been so solid for all of 65 minutes, and it's a massive last 25 minutes now. This is the first time that Sweden have led in this competition so maybe it's not so surprising in retrospect.
CHANCE! Denmark really piling on the pressure now, as Sisto fizzes a brilliant ball into the box and it somehow finds its way to Vestegaard, whose first touch is fatally heavy and it gives Carlgren the time to come off his line and claim before the big defender can finish. This is where Sweden need a bit of leadership; somebody to settle the ship.
SWEDEN SUB: Tibbling, who scored the second goal, is replaced by Robin Quaison for the final 20 minutes or so. Just a reminder that both of Sweden's goalscorers have been taken off. Risky by coach Hakan Ericson or genius? Let's see.
CHANCE! Oh no Mr Poulsen. He's had a shocker today, and it's just gotten worse. He's through on goal if he can control Tomsson's simple pass, but his first touch is heavy and Carlgren comes off his line to take the ball. Good grief. About 15 minutes of normal time left.
Does anybody need any kittens? Sweden coach Ericson is having a whole litter at the moment. Hojberg fizzes a fine ball into the box and it's turned goalwards by Tomasson, whose near-post flick is well held by Carlgren.
SHOT! Sisto has done well since coming on, and he's trying to drag Denmark back on level terms as he drills a left-footed shot at goal, but it's again well held by Carlgren. Just a reminder that we still haven't seen Dane Viktor Fisher! Seems like he's the secret weapon, held in reserve for when Denmark need him. Now or?
CHANCE! In the words of the Chuckle brothers - oh dear, oh dear. Sweden miss a chance to wrap this one up once and for all, and it's Abdullah Khallili, who has spent much of the game on the periphery, as he goes through with Busk but his toe poke just misses the far post and trickles wide. Should be 3-1. Simple as.
GOAL! Denmark 1-3 Sweden (Robin Quaison)
Stick a fork in it, my friends. Robin Quaison surely fires Sweden Under-21 into the Euro 2015 final, as he goes through with Busk before firing past him into the side of the net. Tidy finish from the second-half sub, who refuses to celebrate. Did he used to play for Denmark or? If that was me I'd be in only my boxers after deciding that I'm too euphoric to only take my shirt off.
Just two minutes left now and, having had one or two hopeful efforts in recent minutes, it now looks like Denmark are finished for another four years at Under-21 level. Sweden, in truth, have deserved it.
DENMARK SUB: Viktor Fischer, whose omission was quite shocking, trods on to the field for the past few minutes - with a great big smile. It's a wry smile I assume. He won't have been happy to be left out of the first XI.
GOAL! Denmark 1-4 Sweden
FULL TIME: Denmark 1-4 Sweden
Aaaaaaaaaaaand that's all she wrote. Oscar Hiljemark added a fourth just before the whistle and it's finished 4-1.
Sweden Under-21s reach the final of Euro 2015 after beating their Danish counterparts 4-1 in Prague. Deserved? Yep. Denmark looked lively after getting back into the game through Uffe Bech, but overall they were poor and they don't deserve to face Portugal in the final. Anywho, that's all she wrote. Thanks for joining us tonight and enjoy the rest of your weekend ladies and gents. You take care now.
Written by
Shane Callaghan
Shane Callaghan
Spain U21s
