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Denmark vs. Australia: Team News, Live Stream, TV Info for World Cup 2018
June 20, 2018
After victory in their opening game of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Denmark will be seeking to make it two wins from two on Thursday, although they will face a stiff challenge in Australia.
Yussuf Poulsen's goal for the Danes in a 1-0 win over Peru was enough to give them victory on Saturday, although you sense they will need to improve in their last two matches if they are to make it out of Group C.
Australian, meanwhile, would have been disappointed not to have taken anything from their showdown against France. After Mile Jedinak levelled the game for the Socceroos, they eventually went down to a narrow 2-1 loss.
It feels like a must-win encounter for both sides if they are to maintain their hopes of progression into the knockout stages.
Here's how they are set to line up, the crucial viewing details and a preview of the game at the Samara Arena in Russia.
Team News
Denmark Likely XI: Kasper Schmeichel; Henrik Dalsgaard, Simon Kjaer, Andreas Christensen, Jens Stryger Larsen; Lasse Schone, Thomas Delaney; Yussuf Poulsen, Christian Eriksen, Pione Sisto; Nicolai Jorgensen
Australia Likely XI: Mat Ryan; Josh Risdon, Trent Sainsbury, Mark Milligan, Aziz Behich; Mile Jedinak, Aaron Mooy, Tom Rogic; Robbie Kruse, Andrew Nabbout, Mathew Leckie
Date: Thursday, June 21
Time: 1 p.m. BST, 8 a.m. ET
TV Info: ITV (UK), Fox Sports (U.S.)
Live Stream: ITV Hub (UK), Fox Sports Go (U.S.)
Match Preview
In the first game of a World Cup, the standard of performance matters little in the main; it's all about results.
It's why Denmark supporters won't be getting too panicked about their display against Peru. For much of the contest they were outplayed, as the South Americans moved the ball with intent and conjured up the better opportunities.
In Kasper Schmeichel, though, the Danes have a goalkeeper who has come into the World Cup in inspired form. As we can see here, it's been a long time since the Leicester City man let anything in for the national team:
Denmark also have Christian Eriksen, a player who can alter the course of the game with one moment of magic.
Like the rest of the team, the Tottenham Hotspur star wasn't quite at his best over the course of the 90 minutes against Peru. However, his pass to release Poulsen for the only goal was a piece of class and something a lot of teams in the tournament don't have.
This graphic sums up just how influential he is on this Denmark team:
Per Bleacher Report UK, the Spurs midfielder is the man who pulls the strings behind the rest of the team:
Australia may not boast a player with that kind of individual ability, but they showed in their opener against France they can be a tough nut to crack.
Not only did they shut down their illustrious opponents for long spells, they also created some decent chances. In the end, they would have felt a little unfortunate not to get a point from the game, as Aziz Behich's own goal proved the difference between the two teams.
This graphic from Stats Zone would suggest the Socceroos need to find a little more variety going forward:
Stats Zone @StatsZoneFT France 2-1 Australia Australia stayed in the game all the way to the end, but only really threatened from crosses. Deschamps’ changes made the difference in the end - Griezmann’s penalty & Pogba’s goal were their only shots on target second half. https://t.co/srHNzUU41q https://t.co/MDf9drHrRM
You sense their first task on Thursday will be keeping a lid on the influence of Eriksen, though, as he has proved to be a match-winner in so many of Denmark's recent encounters. He may be the focus for opposition sides but stopping him is easier said than done.
The Danes will have a lot of the ball here and should have the quality to eventually find away through their opponents. Australia appear to be set for another gallant defeat that will likely end their chances of progression in the knockout stages.
Prediction: Denmark 2-1 Australia