England battered Ukraine 4-0 in Rome on Saturday night to book themselves a Euro 2020 semi final showdown with Denmark on Wednesday evening at Wembley.

Harry Kane’s first of two had the Three Lions roaring within five minutes of kick off, before Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson helped create a very lopsided scoreline, with goals either side of Kane’s second.

The game was billed as something of a potential banana skin for England, who had to stay focused on the task at hand following an assured win over old rivals Germany in the previous round.

However, they were once again both professional and calm as they brushed aside their opponents, while keeping their record of not conceding in this tournament intact.

Manager Gareth Southgate made two personnel changes from the Germany game, with Mason Mount returning to the starting XI and Jadon Sancho getting his first start of the tournament as Kieran Trippier made way alongside the injured Bukayo Saka.

Formation-wise, the Three Lions returned to the 4-2-3-1 with which they had begun the competition before changing to a back three for the first knockout stage.

Ukraine meanwhile made just one change to the team that beat Sweden in extra time to get them to this stage of the tournament, with Vitaliy Mykolenko coming in for Taras Stepanenko.

England dictated the tempo of the match right from the off and took the lead inside five minutes, with Raheem Sterling cutting in from the left and slipping an inviting ball into the path of captain Kane, who fired past Heorhiy Bushchan at his near post.

However, they failed to maintain their dominance in the exchanges following the goal and Ukraine ought to have levelled through Roman Yaremchuk on the 17th minute after regaining a foothold. The striker burst away from John Stones into the England box, but was thwarted by Jordan Pickford, who shovelled the ball wide at his near post.

As nervy a moment as this was, it was about as daring as Ukraine got during the first half, and indeed the rest of the match, as England soon shifted the narrative back in their favour.

They retained possession, passed the ball assuredly and did not allow their opponents any time to create.

As a result, Ukraine were becoming frustrated and a rash foul out on the left flank on Sterling allowed Luke Shaw to whip in a dead ball. Kane jumped highest in the box but could only guide his effort over the top.

Another chance came England’s way just after the half hour mark following another probing run into the box from Sterling, with the winger’s diverted cross falling kindly for Declan Rice on the edge of the area.

Bushchan reacted well to beat the West Ham midfielder’s swerving shot away.

The keeper had to parry similarly from a Sancho shot not long after when Sterling again played Shaw in down the left-hand side. The Manchester United-destined winger had to react with the ball behind him and Bushchan stood his ground to save.

Pickford had no such save to make as Ukraine produced the last chance of the half, with space opening up down England’s right more frequently than Southgate might have appreciated. Mykola Shaparenko’s sliced effort skewed well wide from distance after a brave Shaw header had cleared away substitute Viktor Tsyhankov’s initial cross.

England started the second half as well as they did the first, with the second goal of the match coming inside two minutes of the restart.

Kane drew a foul from Serhiy Sydorchuk 35 yards from goal and Shaw’s pinpoint delivery into the box was met magnificently by Maguire, who guided the ball off his forehead back across goal to double the advantage.

Two became three just moments later when Sterling backheeled delightfully into the path of the overlapping Shaw and Kane headed between Bushchan’s legs to put the Three Lions in a commanding position.

Ukraine were deflated and, despite having over half an hour remaining, had little fight left, allowing the England to go for the kill.

Kane went close to sealing a hat-trick when a Ukrainian defender’s headed clearance fell kindly for him, only for Bushchan to deny the skipper with a smart stop.

However, substitute Henderson was given the freedom of the Ukraine penalty area from Mason Mount’s resulting corner and glanced home his first international goal to make it four.

A speculative shot from Yevhenii Makarenko forced a dramatic save from Pickford late on, with the England goalkeeper also producing one or two nervy moments with some questionable distribution, but England retained their clean sheet and cantered into the semi final, with Southgate making the most of an opportunity to rest the likes of Kane, Sterling, Rice, Phillips and Shaw, giving Jude Bellingham, Rashford and Calvert-Lewin a chance off the bench.

Rested though they might be, Southgate’s men will likely have a more difficult challenge on their hands when they face Denmark on Wednesday as they look to book their place in next Sunday’s final.