Most likely, these will be the two teams to advance from Group C of the World Cup. France already is through but need to avoid defeat against second-place Denmark to top the group. Denmark needs just a point to guarantee their progress but could still fail to qualify if Australia beat Peru and end up a better goal difference than the Danes. The French are Mybookie Sportsbook favorites.
If you want to keep up with everything around the 2018 FIFA World Cup, be sure to check our Soccer news page on a daily basis, which includes previews, reviews, predictions, and more.
The French opened the tournament with a 2-1 win over Australia and then beat Peru 1-0 last time out. Kylian Mbappe became France’s youngest-ever World Cup goalscorer at the age of 19 as his goal secured the win that put France through to the round-of-16 and eliminated Peru.
Superstar Antoine Griezmann has scored one goal in Russia, the same tally he had after two games at Euro 2016, where he ended as tournament leading scorer with six.
“I will get better and better,” Griezmann told French television show Telefoot on Sunday. “It was the same at the Euros. It was only after the (second round) that I started to play very well.”
French captain Hugo Lloris is the 7th player to reach 100 caps with France – keeping a clean sheet in this match. If the French need any more motivation, they have a remark made by Denmark coach Age Hareide last month where he dismissed Didier Deschamps’ side as “nothing special.”
“We talked about this between ourselves and we will want to show him that he was wrong,” said midfielder Corentin Tolisso. Deschamps will field a very different lineup in this one. During training over the weekend, Lloris, Benjamin Pavard, Paul Pogba, Blaise Matuidi and Mbappe were all in the substitutes team while Samuel Umtiti, who is nursing a knee problem, trained alone.
Steve Mandanda, Djibril Sidibe, Presnel Kimpembe, Steven Nzonzi, Thomas Lemar and Ousmane Dembele are all expected to start in their place on Tuesday. Descamps will keep the 4-4-2 formation that worked well in France’s 1-0 victory over Peru in their second group game. At left-back, Lucas Hernandez will keep his place in the team as will Raphael Varane at center-back and Ngolo Kanté in midfield.
Deschamps usually makes a number of changes for the last group match (like he did at Brazil 2014 and Euro 2016). It’s a good time to let some players rest while giving some others additional playing time to boost their confidence.
“We have no idea of who is going to play,” Tolisso said.
The French have won six of their past seven against Denmark.
Yussuf Poulsen was penalized for handling the ball in the area as he challenged for a cross, and while the Australian protests were initially waved away, referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz was advised to check the pitchside screen. Mile Jedinak scored the resultant spot-kick, equalizing Eriksen’s goal in the opening stages which Denmark dominated.
“If you look at the first 20 minutes, it should have been a win,” said Eriksen after the game. “But Australia had a bit more the upper hand after that, and of course they were lucky with the decision. That’s how it is. There is a handball in the penalty area, but it’s not really an unnatural situation. If you go in for a duel, of course, you’re going to use your hands to jump. But the decision has to be correct — maybe it’s too correct.”
Denmark, knowing a win would secure qualification to the knockout stages, started well, and took the lead in superb fashion.
Nicolai Jorgensen’s spin and assist were hit home by Eriksen from 15 yards as the ball rose difficulty on the half volley. Jorgensen should have made it 2-0 midway through the half, but he headed wide from Henrik Dalsgaard’s right-wing cross from close range.
“We lost too many balls in midfield and that caused us problems,” Coach Age Hareide said. “We need to get better with our passing and get more rhythm in our play. Many of our choices today were not good enough and that was the problem.”
Some good news for Denmark ahead of this match: William Kvist has returned to the squad after injury. Denmark has a couple of France-based players in their Russia 2018 squad, with Martin Braithwaite and Lukas Lerager both playing their club football for Ligue 1 outfit Bordeaux.
Denmark and France have met twice in the World Cup, both in the final of game of the group stages – France won 2-1 in 1998 and Denmark won 2-0 in 2002. Denmark and France are meeting at a sixth major tournament after Euro 1984, Euro 1992, World Cup 1998, Euro 2000 and World Cup 2002. France went on to win three of those five previous tournaments.
If you want to keep up with everything around the 2018 FIFA World Cup, be sure to check our Soccer news page on a daily basis, which includes previews, reviews, predictions, and more.
2018 World Cup Betting Lines & Prediction: Denmark v France
Midfield general @MATUIDIBlaise on the #WorldCup so far and our final Group C fixture on Tuesday.
Full interview (with English subtitles) 👉 https://t.co/1tLJ8X52rr#FiersdetreBleus pic.twitter.com/hvfbo0gANM — French Team (@FrenchTeam) 24 de junio de 2018
- When: Tuesday, 10 AM ET
- Where: Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow
- TV / Stream: Fox / Fox Sports Go
- 2018 World Cup Betting Lines: France +131 / Denmark +350 / Draw +140 (Total 2)
Australia vs Peru 2018 World Cup Odds & Group C Pick
Why Bet on France?
- Confederation: UEFA
- Head coach: Didier Deschamps
- Captain: Hugo Lloris
- FIFA Ranking: 7
- World Cup Appearances: 15
The French opened the tournament with a 2-1 win over Australia and then beat Peru 1-0 last time out. Kylian Mbappe became France’s youngest-ever World Cup goalscorer at the age of 19 as his goal secured the win that put France through to the round-of-16 and eliminated Peru.
Superstar Antoine Griezmann has scored one goal in Russia, the same tally he had after two games at Euro 2016, where he ended as tournament leading scorer with six.
“I will get better and better,” Griezmann told French television show Telefoot on Sunday. “It was the same at the Euros. It was only after the (second round) that I started to play very well.”
French captain Hugo Lloris is the 7th player to reach 100 caps with France – keeping a clean sheet in this match. If the French need any more motivation, they have a remark made by Denmark coach Age Hareide last month where he dismissed Didier Deschamps’ side as “nothing special.”
“We talked about this between ourselves and we will want to show him that he was wrong,” said midfielder Corentin Tolisso. Deschamps will field a very different lineup in this one. During training over the weekend, Lloris, Benjamin Pavard, Paul Pogba, Blaise Matuidi and Mbappe were all in the substitutes team while Samuel Umtiti, who is nursing a knee problem, trained alone.
Steve Mandanda, Djibril Sidibe, Presnel Kimpembe, Steven Nzonzi, Thomas Lemar and Ousmane Dembele are all expected to start in their place on Tuesday. Descamps will keep the 4-4-2 formation that worked well in France’s 1-0 victory over Peru in their second group game. At left-back, Lucas Hernandez will keep his place in the team as will Raphael Varane at center-back and Ngolo Kanté in midfield.
Deschamps usually makes a number of changes for the last group match (like he did at Brazil 2014 and Euro 2016). It’s a good time to let some players rest while giving some others additional playing time to boost their confidence.
“We have no idea of who is going to play,” Tolisso said.
The French have won six of their past seven against Denmark.
Projected Line-Up
- 1-H. Lloris
- 4-R. Varane
- 5-S. Umtiti
- 21-L. Hernández
- 2-B. Pavard
- 14-B. Matuidi
- 6-P. Pogba
- 13-N. Kanté
- 9-O. Giroud
- 7-A. Griezmann
- 10-K. Mbappé
Why Bet on Denmark?
- Confederation: UEFA
- Head coach: Åge Hareide
- Captain: Simon Kjær
- FIFA Ranking: 12
- World Cup Appearances: 5
Yussuf Poulsen was penalized for handling the ball in the area as he challenged for a cross, and while the Australian protests were initially waved away, referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz was advised to check the pitchside screen. Mile Jedinak scored the resultant spot-kick, equalizing Eriksen’s goal in the opening stages which Denmark dominated.
“If you look at the first 20 minutes, it should have been a win,” said Eriksen after the game. “But Australia had a bit more the upper hand after that, and of course they were lucky with the decision. That’s how it is. There is a handball in the penalty area, but it’s not really an unnatural situation. If you go in for a duel, of course, you’re going to use your hands to jump. But the decision has to be correct — maybe it’s too correct.”
Denmark, knowing a win would secure qualification to the knockout stages, started well, and took the lead in superb fashion.
Nicolai Jorgensen’s spin and assist were hit home by Eriksen from 15 yards as the ball rose difficulty on the half volley. Jorgensen should have made it 2-0 midway through the half, but he headed wide from Henrik Dalsgaard’s right-wing cross from close range.
“We lost too many balls in midfield and that caused us problems,” Coach Age Hareide said. “We need to get better with our passing and get more rhythm in our play. Many of our choices today were not good enough and that was the problem.”
Some good news for Denmark ahead of this match: William Kvist has returned to the squad after injury. Denmark has a couple of France-based players in their Russia 2018 squad, with Martin Braithwaite and Lukas Lerager both playing their club football for Ligue 1 outfit Bordeaux.
Denmark and France have met twice in the World Cup, both in the final of game of the group stages – France won 2-1 in 1998 and Denmark won 2-0 in 2002. Denmark and France are meeting at a sixth major tournament after Euro 1984, Euro 1992, World Cup 1998, Euro 2000 and World Cup 2002. France went on to win three of those five previous tournaments.
Projected Line-Up
- 1-K. Schmeichel
- 4-S. Kjær
- 14-H. Dalsgaard
- 17-J. Larsen
- 6-A. Christensen
- 19-L. Schöne
- 8-T. Delaney
- 10-C. Eriksen
- 9-N. Jørgensen
- 20-Y. Poulsen
- 23-P. Sisto
