Czech Republic...3 Denmark...0: It may have yielded a very slight shift in the pattern of the Czech Republic's steady progress through this competition but last night's disappointing quarter-final at the Dragao stadium in Porto came nowhere close to adding to the event's list of shock results.

For the Danes it was the proverbial game of two halves - in one they competed, in the other they didn't - but the almost casual manner in which Karel Bruckner's men slipped into the last four, thanks to a goal from Jan Koller and two from Milan Baros, adds weight to the case made by those who believe they will beat Greece on Thursday and go on to become European champions by this time next week.

Although they again took some time to find their stride, there was no need, on this occasion, for the Czechs to come from behind. Their defence coped easily with the challenge presented by the offensively- minded Danes, while their goalkeeper, Petr Cech, looked firmly in control on the few occasions he was called into serious action.

The game, though, like two of the other three quarters, was something of a let down. There was little evidence in the first half of the sort of flair that had made these sides two of the most attractive to follow in the opening phase, when each had produced displays of almost irresistible attacking football against some the tournament's bigger names. Then, when the Czechs did come to life, their three goals in 16 early second-half minutes killed off the game almost before it had had a chance to come to life.

For the most part it had actually been the Danes who had produced the better approach work early on, thanks, in large part, to their greater ability to use the width made available to them by their wingers, Jesper Gronkjaer and Martin Jorgensen. The pair formed a useful triangle with Thomas Gravesen, who again directed much of his side's play from the centre of the field although the Everton midfielder was not nearly so influential here as he had been against the Swedes on Tuesday.

Up front, they also looked less much less menacing than that night, with Ebbe Sand clearly missed and Jon Dahl Tomasson finding it harder to make an impact on the game. The repeatedly poor deliveries by the wingers didn't help his cause and perhaps their best passing move of the opening period ended with the ball falling to Gravesen on the edge of the area, from where the midfielder sent a rushed shot well over Cech's crossbar.

The Czechs, meanwhile, had performed so strongly through their three group games that they were considered by many here to be favourites for the title well before this game but on the strength of their showing early on it was difficult to recall why.

With Pavel Nedved largely playing back on the left hand side of the midfield, where he had started out against the Dutch, they might have been expected to trouble Thomas Helveg a good deal more down that flank. It was, however, Karel Poborsky who looked more lively down the right where he at least occasionally threatened to open up the Danish defence.

His best chance to do so came in the 45th minute but on that occasion Martin Laursen coolly marshalled him away from goal and his cross, intended for Koller, skimmed the top of the bar and ran safely away.

The incident marked the end of a decent half from the Danes who had fallen apart two years ago in Japan when they met England in the first round of knockout games at the World Cup. Olsen expressed the belief over the past few days that his players had come on a good deal in the wake of that experience but within five minutes of the second half getting under way the cracks had started to appear and within 20 the game was over as a contest after the Czechs had swept into a 3-0 lead.

The first was primarily the result of marking as bad as you will see at a major championship, Jan Koller not getting the required attention as Poborsky floated in a corner from the left. The giant Dortmund striker took full advantage, powering a free header home from 10 yards out.

Briefly the game showed increased signs of life as the Danes roused themselves but it wasn't to last. First Poborsky sent Baros clear for his fourth goal of the tournament with a clever little lob from the right and then Nedved set up the Liverpool striker's fifth with a pass from midfield that also split the Danish centre backs. On both occasions Baros's finish was excellent.

Swiftly reduced to chasing a lost cause the Danes began the process of pushing for the goal that might somehow offer them a route back into the game but, at the mercy of the Czech midfield, Olsen's men rarely attacked with any great conviction through the closing stages. Tamely they made their exit. They may yet, at least, have the consolation of knowing they were beaten by the tournament's best side.

CZECH REPUBLIC: Cech; Jiranek (Grygera, 39 mins), Bolf (Rozehnal, 65 mins), Ujfalusi, Jankulovski; Galasek; Poborsky, Rosicky, Nedved; Koller, Baros (Heinz, 71 mins).

DENMARK: Sorensen; Helveg, Laursen, Henriksen, Bogelund; Poulsen, Gravesen; Gronkjaer (Rommedahl, 77 mins), C Jensen (Madsen, 71 mins), Jorgensen (Lovenkrands, 86 mins); Tomasson.

Referee: V Ivanov (Russia).