2018 World Cup: Socceroos take game to world No.12 Denmark and unlucky not come away with win

AUSTRALIA’S rag-tag bunch of unknowns, led by their inspirational bearded skipper, pinned Denmark back and pressed for an elusive win. That it didn’t come will be a cause of major frustration.

Daniel Arzani came on late and nearly turned the game for Australia. Picture: AFP.

THE Socceroos made the world sit up and take notice.

The odds were already stacked against them. Even more so after going a goal down on seven minutes against a side ranked 12 in the world — above England, Uruguay and Colombia — who qualified from a continent where Italy and Holland did not.

Yet by the second half, the football novice would have thought the Socceroos were the superior team, and not the supposed Asian minnow who battled their way through the arduous qualifying playoff route.

Daniel Arzani came on late and nearly turned the game for Australia. Picture: AFP.

PROVING A POINT: Socceroos hold Denmark

PLAYER RATINGS: ‘Leckie had the Danish terrified’

While the pre-game focus was rightly on Christian Eriksen, who’s in the top echelon of players in the world, Andreas Chistensen is one of the world’s top up and coming defenders while his partner Simon Kjaer is one of the most underrated.

But Australia’s rag-tag bunch of unknowns, led by their inspirational bearded skipper, had those top-notch defenders pinned back and panicked as Bert’s brave boys and pressed for an elusive win.

The most mysterious and youngest of those, Daniel Arzani, came on late and helped bamboozle the Danes, who were not expecting this at Samara Arena.

As was the case with his 2010 World Cup finalists Holland, Bert van Marwijk prefers to persist with a team once finds his formula and the players responded for his collective faith in them with another emphatic performance.

The well-prepared Socceroos identified the space in behind Denmark’s gallivanting left-back Jens Larsen as a key are to exploit but to be fair Mathew Leckie was causing havoc with or without a defender to beat.

Mathew Leckie wasn’t afraid to take on the Danish defence all game.

Mat Ryan is called into action as the Danes threaten.

Despite Denmark’s height advantage — which was mentioned as their “weapon” by van Marwijk — Leckie was giving them all sorts of issues from set pieces.

But his failure to convert his fifth minute chance from Aaron Mooy’s superb corner was ruthlessly exploited by the world class Eriksen.

Denmark’s movement between the lines was superb and caused holding midfielder Mile Jedinak and Aaron Mooy to be dragged out of position more often than the France game.

The Tottenham star doesn’t need a second invitation, as he drifted into a dangerous space just inside the box and a superb flick from striker Nicolai Jorgensen set up Eriksen who laced it past Mat Ryan, who had no chance.

Leckie’s physical presence continued to cause Denmark issues, as he and Robbie Kruse switched flanks to good effect.

It was close but Aaron Mooy couldn’t break the deadlock.

Kruse won the corner that led to Australia’s key moment of the first half, as Leckie rose highest to head goalbound and the VAR finally worked in the Socceroos’ favour as ice-cool captain Jedinak showed he’s the man for the big occasion.

The confidence Ryan exudes in Russia is contagious, and his footwork — among the best of the 32 keepers at the World Cup — gives the Socceroos confidence to use him.

It’s also evident in his shot-stopping, and he was alert to a stunning Eriksen free-kick that ricocheted off Sainsbury’s shin.

He wasn’t that busy in the second half, as his outfield teammates took it to Denmark.

In the end it only earnt them a point, but they did make the world stand up and take notice and left themselves with an outside chance of reaching the knockout phase.

Christian Eriksen opened the scoring with a cracker. Picture: AFP.

THE 4 KEY MOMENTS IN SAMARA

ERIKSEN ALL CLASS – 7th minute

The superstar’s ability to find space is extraordinary. He ghosted into the box and Feyenoord’s Nicolai Jorgensen cleverly flicked the ball to Eriksen who struck a textbook left-foot volley from just inside the area giving Mat Ryan no time to react.

DENMARK’S FLUFFED CHANCE – 24th minute

The Danes west coast to coast too quickly for Bert van Marwijk’s liking, as right-back Henrik Dalsgaard got the ball down the right and whipped in a dangerous cross just behind stoppers mark Milligan and Trent Sainsbury. Jorgensen headed wide, and probably should’ve got it on target.

VAR STRIKES IN OUR FAVOUR (FINALLY) – 37th minute

Play continued for almost 10 seconds before referee Antonio Lahoz signaled for VAR, with Yussuf Poulsen handballing Mathew Leckie’s header. Mile Jedinak immediately grabbed the ball and despite Kasper Schmeichel’s attempts to intimidate, the ice-cool skipper delivered yet again.

SCHMEICHEL SAVE – 88th minute

Substitute Daniel Arzani cut in off the left as Australia countered, before unleashing a vicious strike which while not hard to stop for a goalkeeper of Kasper Schmeichel’s ilk, could easily have parried to one of the Aussie attackers lurking in the penalty area.

Originally published as 2018 World Cup: Socceroos take game to world No.12 Denmark and unlucky not come away with win