Australia vs Denmark Analysis & Recap
Match With Big Knockout Stage Implications
âš½Australia vs Denmark: Game Recapâš½
Results: Australia 1-0 Denmark
The unexpected has happened! No one thought they could, but Australia has found themselves in the Round of 16 after a 1-0 win over Denmark.
Australia has a Cinderella Story campaign after their road to the World Cup. First, the side that finished third in their World Cup qualifying group needed a playoff win. Then, on top of that, they needed an AFC vs CONMEBOL playoff to get a flight to Qatar. This does not make them a dark horse for the tournament, but they are still one to watch.
A dull first half saw neither side craft out any significant opportunities. And the second half continued similarly until Leckie intervened. Leckie collected the ball just inside his half before driving toward the Denmark defense. After a pair of stepovers, he shifted the ball onto his left foot, fired it low past Kasper Schmeichel, and placed it just inside the post to put his side into the lead.
Denmark had several opportunities to level the game, and it appeared at one stage as though they had won a penalty. However, it was correctly ruled offside.
Nevertheless, Australia cemented its position in the Round of 16. However, they face an uphill battle as they take on a rejuvenated Argentina side with Messi firing at all cylinders.
 Australia | – |   Denmark |
|---|---|---|
| 31% | Possession | 69% |
| 8 | Total Shots | 13 |
| 4 | Shots on Target | 3 |
| 2 | Shots Wide | 5 |
| 2 | Shots Blocked | 5 |
| 3 | Saves | 3 |
| 2 | Corners | 6 |
| 2 | Yellow Cards | 1 |
| 0 | Red Cards | 0 |
| 11 | Fouls | 10 |
| 1 | Offsides | 3 |
| 64% | Pass Accuracy | 83% |
| 3 | Dribbles | 4 |
| 11 | Crosses | 27 |
| 15 | Tackles | 13 |
Did We Get It Right?
Below you will find all the predictions we made before the matchup, on November 27, 2022.
Socceroos Break Winless Streak
Australia broke a seven-match World Cup winless streak with their 1-0 win over Tunisia on Saturday. Now, they’re one win away from clinching just their second-ever berth in the knockout stage. Denmark, who have underperformed so far this tournament, certainly won’t make it easy. It’s win or go home for the Danes and it’d be an unceremonious exit after their semifinals berth at last year’s Euros. We’ll review the major odds for Wednesday’s match in our Australia vs Denmark analysis.
Australia vs Denmark
Date, time (TV):
Location: Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah, Qatar
Streaming: FS1, Peacock
Team Standings and Odds:
| Team | FIFA World Ranking | World Cup Qualifying Record | Knockout Stage Odds | Odds to Win Group | Odds to Win World Cup |
| Australia | 38 | 5-4-3, 3rd AFC Group B | +160 | N/A | +35000 |
| Denmark | 10 | 9-0-1, 1st UEFA Group F | -190 | N/A | +4500 |
| All Meetings: | Teams |
|---|---|
| Jun 2018: | Denmark 1-1 Australia |
| Jun 2012: | Denmark 2-0 Australia |
| Jun 2010: | Australia 1-0 Denmark |
| Feb 2007: | Australia 1-3 Denmark |
Denmark and Australia have met on four previous occasions, most recently at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. A Christian Eriksen goal was canceled out by a Mile Jedinak penalty for Australia in a 1-1 draw. Denmark leads the series 2-1 otherwise and this is just the second competitive meeting. An Australia vs Denmark analysis shows that under 2½ goals has occurred in three of their four previous matches.
Australia: Get Elusive Win
Standings: 1-1, 2ndt
Previous Match: W, 1-0 vs. Tunisia
Australia bounced back from a 4-1 defeat to France with a valiant performance vs. Tunisia. Tunisia set up quite defensively with the vast majority of their players behind the ball out of possession. It was initially tough for Australia to break down the Tunisia defense, which had only given up one goal in its last 11 matches.
Midway through the second half, Australia’s Mitchell Duke scored with a flicked on header off a Craig Goodwin cross. The Socceroos managed to keep Tunisia out of the back of their net and managed to win just their third-ever World Cup match. The Socceroos came into the match with a seven-match winless streak in the World Cup dating back to 2010. Now, they’re one win away from advancing out of their group for the first time since 2006.
Australia were one of the last teams to qualify for the World Cup but have done quite well. They finished in third in the Group B FIFA World Cup 2022 qualifiers table in the AFC and qualified through the playoff route. Craig Goodwin has looked like Australia’s biggest attacking threat and their midfield has also been solid.
Denmark: On the Brink
Standings: 0-1-1, T-3rd
Previous Match: L, 1-2 vs. France
Denmark entered the FIFA World Cup as dark horse contenders but they’ve looked anything but in their first two matches. In their first match, a compact Tunisia defense held an uncreative Denmark to a scoreless draw. In their next match, Denmark had the opportunity to defeat France for a third time in 2022. It didn’t go according to plan, though and the match was tied after an hour.
Then, Kylian Mbappe sent in a Theo Hernandez cross to put defending champions France ahead. Denmark’s Andreas Christensen leveled the match on a header in the 68th minute. Martin Braithwaite had a chance to put Denmark ahead in the 80th but fired wide of the post.
Mbappe struck again for France in the 86th minute as he converted an Antoine Griezmann cross. So, Denmark fell 2-1 and have just one point through two matches. They haven’t found a groove yet at the tournament and have often failed to threaten from open play. It’d be a sizable disappointment if Kasper Hjulmand team doesn’t qualify for the round of 16 at the FIFA 2022 World Cup.
Match Analysis and Odds:
An Australia vs Denmark Analysis is incomplete without running through the potential qualification scenarios. Australia will go through with a win and likely advance with a draw. A draw will be enough for them unless Tunisia defeat France. Meanwhile, a Denmark win will see them through as long as Tunisia don’t defeat France by a bigger margin of victory.
Australia got exposed defensively vs. France but Denmark don’t have the same caliber of attacking weapons
Denmark are expected to pull it together in their last match and come in as one-goal favorites. The Danes sit at -120 odds to cover the goal-line but have only scored one goal all tournament so far. Australia got exposed defensively vs. France but Denmark don’t have the same caliber of attacking weapons. The Socceroos sit at even odds to cover and +625 odds to win. If Australia win it’ll be the first time they manage two wins at a single World Cup.
The group stage match between these two finished in a 1-1 draw four years ago but the stakes are even higher now. Denmark are priced at -210 odds to get a crucial win and another draw shows +320 odds. The over/under goal total for the match is 2½ and both the over and under come in at -110 odds. Australia will likely have to absorb a lot of defensive pressure in this one but goalkeeper Mat Ryan has been a calming presence.
