World Cup 2018: France, Denmark, Peru provide intriguing opposition for Socceroos in Russia

FACING France, Denmark and Peru in Russia next year is not the group of death of four years ago. But it’s no walk in the park either and the Socceroos are certainly up against it in Group C.

It could have been much worse for the Socceroos.

IT COULD have been worse.

Much worse.

Australian fans watching the World Cup draw in the wee small hours of Saturday morning would have been longing to be drawn out in Group A along with Russia, Egypt and Uruguay.

That “honour” went to Saudi Arabia, who pipped us in the group stage of qualifying and who will now open the tournament with the world’s eyes upon them.

But Socceroos diehards didn’t have long to await their fate.

Former Italian international Fabio Cannavaro draws out Australia.

Group C: France, Peru and Denmark.

The glass half empty view is that we are up against it in a group containing the world’s ninth (France), 11th (Peru) and 12th (Denmark) ranked sides.

But this is no group of death that we faced in Brazil, where a group containing Spain, the Netherlands and Chile gave us no chance.

The green and gold army - both players and fans - will head to Russia next year holding out hope that we may advance to the round of 16 for just the second time in history.

And that was definitely the early social media reaction from Socceroos such as Ryan McGowan - “Happy with that group” - and Nikita Rukavytsya - “Great group”.

While the hardest game, France, is first up, there are two massive wins from that draw.

1) The game will be played in Kazan, where the Socceroos will base themselves for the tournament.

Guide to Australia's opponents

France

Game

Australia v France, Kazan, June 16, 8pm

Coach

Didier Deschamps

Captain

Hugo Lloris

Stars

Raphael Varane, Paul Pogba, Antoine Griezmann

World ranking

9

World Cup record

Champions as hosts in 1998. 15-time qualifiers.

Qualification

Topped their group ahead of Sweden, the Netherlands and Bulgaria with seven wins from 10 matches.

Record v Australia

Four meetings - Australia one win, France two wins, one draw.

Last meeting

France 6 Australia 0, Paris, October 2013

Denmark

Coach

Age Hareide

Captain

Simon Kjaer

Stars

Christian Eriksen, Kasper Schmeichel

World ranking

12

World Cup record

First appearance since 2010. Four-time qualifiers. Reached the last eight in 1998.

Qualification

Finished second in their group behind Poland, defeating Ireland 5-1 in a play-off.

Record v Australia

Three meetings - Australia one win, Denmark two wins.

Last meeting

Denmark 2 Australia 0, Copenhagen, June 2012

Peru

Coach

Ricardo Gareca

Captain

Alberto Rodriguez

Stars

Jefferson Farfan, Paolo Guerrero

World ranking

11

World Cup record

Back for the first time since 1982. Four-time qualifiers. Reached the last eight in 1970.

Qualification

Surprise fifth-placed finishers in South America ahead of Chile and others. Defeated New Zealand 2-0 in a play-off.

Last meeting

The two sides have never met

2) The game will be played at 8pm (EST) on June 16, a Saturday night - a massive win for the sport in this country.

The Denmark game is at 10pm (EST) on Thursday, June 21 in Samara and the Peru game at midnight (EST) on Wednesday, June 27 in Sochi.

Make no mistake. The odds will suggest that the Socceroos will finish bottom of this group.

And players, fans and media in each of France, Denmark and Peru will be rapt to have Australia as an opponent - they won’t rate us at all.

France will be tough.

The Euro 2016 runners up knocked off Sweden and the Netherlands in qualification and, with the likes of Antoine Griezmann, Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante, possess genuine world superstars.

Antoine Griezmann looms as a big threat to the Socceroos.

The last time Australia played the French was in 2013 when it lost 6-0 and then Holger Osieck got the sack. But in three other games there has been a win, a loss and a draw.

So, unlike in 2010 against Germany, if the Socceroos can get out of the opening game with a respectable result, then the tournament can open up from there.

The Socceroos have never met Peru, which finished fifth in South America and showed vulnerabilities in a 2-0 aggregate playoff win against New Zealand.

While Denmark, despite boasting Tottenham star Christian Erikssen, also had to come through the playoffs (beating Ireland) and are far from unbeatable - the Aussies have won one game against them, lost twice.

So while the draw absolutely could have been kinder to us, we definitely don’t want to be in the shoes of, say, Iran, which drew Spain and Portugal and are clearly long odds of making it out of the group.

Bring it on!

2018 World Cup draw

Group A

Russia, Uruguay, Egypt, Saudi Arabia

Group B

Portugal, Spain, Iran, Morocco

Group C

France, Peru, Australia, Denmark

Group D

Argentina, Croatia, Iceland, Nigeria

Group E

Brazil, Switzerland, Costa Rica, Serbia

Group F

Germany, Mexico, Sweden, South Korea

Group G

Belguim, England, Tunisia, Panama

Group H

Poland, Colombia, Senegal, Japan

Originally published as World Cup 2018: France, Denmark, Peru provide intriguing opposition for Socceroos in Russia