Denmark - 0 England - 3 When an English oompah band can get Japanese football fans wearing England colours dancing to the strains of Knees Up Mother Brown, it is clear that the capacity of this World Cup for springing surprises is far from exhausted.
After the scenes in downtown Niigata on Saturday night, following the 3-0 defeat of Denmark in the second round, it is not difficult to imagine that by the time England play their quarter-final in Shizuoka on Friday the locals will be marching to the Stadium Ecopa whistling Colonel Bogey.
In a tournament of the unexpected, moreover, the idea of Sven-Goran Eriksson's team reaching the final or even winning it no longer seems as fantastic as Danny Mills beating Harry Potter at quidditch.
A clear idea of England's chances will be known after today's encounter between Brazil and Belgium in the Wing Stadium here. England will meet the winners for a place in the last four and already there is a feeling in some quarters that going out to the Brazilians at this stage would enable Eriksson and his squad to return home maybe not covered in glory but entitled to a glow of satisfaction.
Considering the position England were in when Eriksson took charge 18 months ago the achievement has been considerable. In fact so buoyant has England's confidence become that thoughts of an honourable elimination by Brazil are premature.
No team has begun to dominate the World Cup this time. That has increased the chances of sides like England, who have made a virtue of good organisation and tactical discipline.
Watching England keep their shape after taking an early 2-0 lead against the Danes took the mind back to the way Kevin Keegan's team began Euro 2000 in Eindhoven, when a similar advantage was overturned once Portugal had been given the freedom of the midfield.
Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes were never going to let this happen, however hard Thomas Gravesen might strive to take the game over. Under Eriksson, a relatively inexperienced England side had assimilated the fundamental lesson of football at this level, which is never to stop defending however promising a situation may be.
"You have to be content when you are 3-0 up at half time," Eriksson said yesterday. "There is no reason to go on attacking with a lot of players. We were shouting from the bench to the full backs, who were both continuing to go forward. That may be good in one way but not in another."
Certainly England seem totally at ease with the way Eriksson wants them to perform. Not that their coach is relying entirely on good organisation.
Eriksson referred to a Swedish saying about having "a fox behind your ear", which means combining patience with cunning and waiting for the right chance.
At the moment England are strong on hounds but a little short in the fox department.
On Saturday the hold they had taken on the match by half-time owed more to the good fortune of having a Sunderland Black Cat in goal for the opposition.
It is hard to define the reasoning behind FIFA's decision to award England's opening goal to Rio Fedinand since he had headed David Beckham's corner away from the net before Sorensen fumbled the ball back over the line. That was an own-goal and no argument.
The shot Emile Heskey drove in from the penalty arc for England's third a minute from half time was well struck but still should have been saved by the goalkeeper, although the principle culprit was Manchester City's Niclas Jensen, whose weak header set up Beckham for a low cross to Heskey.
England's second, midway through the first half, was what Eriksson meant about having a fox behind the ear. From the moment Trevor Sinclair won the ball on the left it was a well-improvised move, culminating in Butt's sweet first-time touch to set up Michael Owen's first goal of the tournament. After that Denmark were never in the contest.
Guardian Service
SUBSTITUTES
Denmark: Bogelund for Helveg (six mins), Jensen for Tofting (57). England: Fowler for Owen 46), Sheringham for Heskey (68).
YELLOW CARDS
Denmark: Tofting. England: Mills.
