World Cup 2018: Denmark versus France - preview, team news, predicted XI, head to head and key stats
Day 13 of the World Cup starts off with France facing off against Denmark in a match where a point for each will see them qualify into the knockout stages of the WC 2018.
France started their World Cup campaign with less than impressive 2-1 victory over Australia, which saw the first ever VAR penalty to be converted, courtesy of Antoine Greizmann, and also saw an Aziz Behich own goal.
They followed it up with a 1-0 victory over Peru, which saw Kylian Mbappe becoming the youngest ever goalscorer in a World Cup for France. A point or more against Denmark will result in France topping Group C.
Denmark started their World Cup campaign with 1-0 victory over a much better Peru side courtesy of Yussuf Poulsen, which saw Christian Cueva becoming the first player to miss a VAR awarded penalty kick.
Denmark was then held 1-1 against an inspired Australian side in which Christian Eriksen scored his first goal of the World Cup. A point will see Denmark qualifying to the knockout stages for the first time since 2002 and all three points will result in Denmark topping Group C.
Team News
Suspension to Youssuf Poulsen, after picking up yellow cards in consecutive matches, will see coach Age Hareide giving Martin Braithwaite his first start of the tournament. William Kvist will also be missing after suffering a punctured lung against Peru.
Didier Deschamps may opt to rest some of his key players like Pogba and Matuidi after securing qualification to the knockout stages of the World Cup.
Possible Line-ups:
Denmark Predicted XI: Kasper Schmeichel, Henrik Dalsgaard, Simon Kjaer, Andreas Christensen, Jens Stryger Larsen, Lasse Schone, Thomas Delaney, Christian Eriksen, Andreas Cornelius, Martin Braithwaite, Nicolai Jorgensen
France Predicted XI: Hugo Lloris, Benjamin Pavard, Raphael Varane, Presnel Kimpembe, Lucas Hernandez, Paul Pogba, Ngolo Kante, Corentin Tolisso, Nabil Fekir, Antoine Griezmann, Thomas Lemar
Head to Head Stats
This will be the seventh meeting in a major tournament between Denmark and France after Euro 1984, Euro 1992, World Cup 1998, Euro 2000 and World Cup 2002.
Chelsea striker Oliver Giroud has scored each of the last 3 goals for Les Blues against Denmark.
This will be the 3rd time both these teams would be meeting in the World Cup after France won their first meeting 2-1 in 1998 and Denmark won their second meeting 2-0 in 2002.
Some stats to look forward to in this encounter
Denmark have lost four of their last five World Cup games against fellow European nations, with the sole victory coming up against France in 2002
If Denmark is awarded a penalty in this match, it will be the first time since Group C in 1998 that all four teams have had a penalty in a single World Cup group in a group that also contained France and Denmark.
France has won six of their last seven games against Denmark with the only defeat coming in 2002.
Mbappe could become the first teenager since Michael Owen to score in 2 matches of the World Cup.
The last time France won all 3 group matches, they went on to win the World Cup
France vs Denmark, Group C:
Match Date: 26 June 2018, Tuesday
Match Timing: 19:30 IST
Match Venue: Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, Russia
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