Denmark suffered the heartache of missing out on a place at Euro 2016 two years ago so the squad is determined to make up for that. Leicester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel may have won a Premier League title with his club two seasons ago but he’s never played at a major tournament with his country, something he wants to put right. The same applies to Tottenham playmaker Christian Eriksen who will be the most talented player on the pitch at Parken Stadium in Copenhagen tomorrow night.
The Danes made a slow start to their qualifying campaign but they turned it around in 2017 to secure second place in the Group E behind Poland, a side they beat 4-0 in Copenhagen. That game was only two months ago so it appears Age Hareide’s men have hit form at the right time. The Norwegian is a former team-mate of Ireland manager Martin O’Neill and under Hareide, the Danes have changed their approach and style of play.
We can expect to see them be a bit more direct but that could actually suit Ireland. Eriksen is their danger man, having scored 8 of their 20 goals during the campaign. The Danes tend to adopt a 4-3-3 formation with Eriksen the central player behind their three in attack. Thomas Delaney and William Kvist will sit in midfield to allow Eriksen more freedom. Cardiff City fans will remember Andreas Cornelius, although he didn’t play much after his arrival for a club record fee. Cornelius now plies his trade with Serie A club Atalanta and Hareide has used the 6 ft 3” striker on the right of the three attackers. Hareide may decide against starting Cornelius, instead opting for RB Leipzig’s Yussuf Poulsen.
Sevilla defender Simon Kjaer will captain the side and speaking earlier in the week he had no problem with Denmark being slight favourites to go to Russia. However the message from their camp today was don’t be left with those regrets of two years ago when their neighbours Sweden booked a place at the European Championship at their expense.
Probable line up: Kasper Schmeichel, Peter Ankersen, Simon Kjaer, Andreas Bjelland, Jens Stryger Larsen, William Kvist, Thomas Delaney, Christian Eriksen, Pione Sisto, Yussuf Poulsen, Nicolai Jorgensen
