This weekend is filled to the brim with FIFA World Cup action as the defending world champions take to the pitch on Saturday.
France face Denmark in a crucial encounter which may have a major bearing on the final standings in Group D.
The French need to pull out all the stops to advance to the last-16 as group winners and they ought to be weary of the dark horse in Denmark. Notwithstanding a draw to Tunisia in their World Cup opener, the Danes are worthy opponents of the world champions and should not be discounted whatsoever.
This is a second successive World Cup finals in which the two nations share a group together with Australia. Les Bleus are winless in their last four competitive matches against the Danes – an awry return of three defeats and a draw.
When they met at the 2002 World Cup, Denmark dispatched of then-holders France by two goals to nil. Once again France are the reigning world champions and there is no reason to write off history repeating itself at Stadium 974 on Saturday.
Most recently, the teams met twice in the UEFA Nations League. Not only did the Danes defeat France, home and away, they also finished 7 points above their French counterparts in League A Group 1. Les Bleus picked up a dismal 5 points from six matches, finishing a single point above Austria who were relegated to League B.
(Photo: AFP via Getty Images)
Denmark are no easy opponents and they have proven they are able to spring a surprise on the biggest stages. Last year at the Euro tournament, the Danes remarkably progressed to the semi-finals.
The Scandinavians got off to the worst possible start in the tournament which was staged across the European continent. Playmaker Christian Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest on the field of play and he was transported to a local hospital in Copenhagen, where he was stabilised.
In shock of what had happened to their friend and teammate, Denmark were clearly not themselves for the second half of their Euro opener which they lost narrowly, 1-0, to Finland.
(Photo: AFP via Getty Images)
Without the services of Eriksen for the remainder of the tournament, Denmark were expected to stumble and crash out at the earliest exit point. But they weren’t finished yet.
The Danes qualified for the last-16 in which they dismantled Wales by four goals to nil. They then beat Czech Republic to reach the Euro semis for the first time since 1992, when they won the tournament for the first time.
Since his horrific episode, Eriksen has made an inspiring comeback. In the summer, the 30-year-old signed for Manchester United, one of the biggest clubs in world football, while he has also returned to the international stage to feature at the World Cup for a second time.
In Russia 2018, the Danes advanced to the Round of 16 and lost a seven-goal thriller to eventual finalists Croatia. Denmark’s best return at a World Cup came in 1998, when they reached the quarter-finals.
As for their next opponents, France have suffered yet another injury blow after defender Lucas Hernández left the field of play inside the opening 15 minutes against Australia. The 26-year-old ruptured his ACL and is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Hernández becomes the seventh France international to be ruled out of this World Cup through injury. The French have had tough luck on the injury front with Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kanté, Paul Pogba, Christopher Nkunku, Presnel Kimpembe, and Mike Maignan all deemed unavailable to compete at Qatar 2022.
Kylian Mbappé and Olivier Giroud were both on the scoresheet as Les Bleus swept past Australia, 4-1, to get their World Cup campaign up and running. Giroud, 36, bagged his 50th and 51st goal to equal Thierry Henry as France’s joint-highest scorer of all-time.
France must do what they can to avoid the infamous holders’ curse, which has struck each of the last three world champions. All of the three previous European nations to win the World Cup (Italy, Spain, and Germany) went on to exit from the groups in the subsequent edition of the event.
France are 1.80 to make it two wins from two when they face Denmark. The Danes are 4.75 to claim victory; 3.50 for a draw. Mbappé has 5.00 odds to open the scoring, or 2.60 to score anytime, while his strike partner Giroud is 6.00 to grab the first goal, or 3.10 anytime. (Bet365)
