International Friendly: Everyone Wants to Win this Scandinavian Showdown

Denmark vs Sweden

A Scandinavian showdown in early June will focus the minds of football fans from both Denmark and Sweden this Wednesday, even if very differing summers lie ahead for the two nations.

For a start, this international friendly is one of two warm-up fixtures for Denmark (the other is against their other Norse neighbours Norway) ahead of Euro 2024.

For the Swedes, their failure to qualify for the tournament in Germany means their next competitive meeting isn’t until the Nations League in September.

Yet any meeting between these two teams is competitive which means international friendly highlights likely await at the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen.

Talking Points

It’s hard to bet against the Danes who have not lost on home territory since June last year and have only been beaten in one of their last 10 outings.

By contrast, Sweden have lost four of their last nine.

Denmark have also a point to prove this summer after they were beaten by a highly controversial decision in the semi-finals of the last European Championship.

It has been almost exactly seven years since Kasper Hjulmand’s men last conceded a goal in a home friendly – Hjulmand has been in charge since 2019 – keeping 11 clean sheets on the bounce since a 1-1 draw with Germany in June 2017, while their last exhibition defeat on familiar turf came all the way back in 2015 to France.

Many eyes will be on Manchester United duo Christian Eriksen and Rasmus Hojlund in what is an experienced Danish squad.

International Friendly: Denmark's Christian Eriksen recently won the FA Cup with Manchester United — Christian Eriksen with Manchester United teammates holding the FA Cup trophy

There were a few potential surprises though with Celtic midfielder Matt O’Riley omitted from the squad, as was Philip Billing, Jesper Lindstrom and Martin Braithwaite, the latter of whom started all of their games at Euro 2020, scoring once in their last-16 thumping of Wales.

As for Sweden, this will be the first time since 1996 that they will not be present at the European Championships and a new face has been tasked with restoring order – a former Danish international!

Their dismal qualification campaign led to the departure of long-serving boss Janne Andersson and the appointment of former Blackburn Rovers head coach Jon Dahl Tomasson, the first ever non-Swede to take charge of the Blue and Yellows.

As he seeks a scalp over his country of birth, he has already tasted defeat and victory.

Tomasson was given a baptism of fire on his first assignment, a 5-2 beating at the hands of Portugal in March, but did not have to wait much longer for his opening triumph, masterminding a 1-0 victory over Albania a few days later courtesy of Gustaf Nilsson’s winner.

Although he’ll be without Sporting Lisbon hotshot Viktor Gyokeres who has undergone a recent knee operation, Tomasson will be able to call upon the in-form Alexander Isak who has caught the eye at one of his former clubs, Newcastle United’s.

He will no doubt be supported by two of his Premier League colleagues in Anthony Elanga (Nottingham Forest) and Dejan Kulusevski (Spurs).

Friendly or not, this should be competitive.

History

This is a true Scandinavian showdown which has been traditionally well matched with 41 Danish victories compared to 46 Swedish triumphs and 20 draws.

As a journalist, I remember covering their group stage meeting at Euro 2004 which finished 2-2, a passionate encounter which showed just how much these games mean to players and supporters of both sides.’

Tomasson twice gave Denmark the lead in an enthralling game but Mattias Jonson’s late strike, added to a Henrik Larsson penalty, meant Italy were eliminated at the group stage.

It was the result the Azzurri had dreaded and ensured that Sweden finished top courtesy of goals scored between the three sides as they all finished level on five points; Denmark scored one more than Italy.

That remains the last time they met in a major tournament with most of their meetings over the years coming in international friendlies or the Nordic Championships.

Their most recent meeting came in a friendly in Brondby in November 2020 which the Danes won 2-0, thanks to second half goals from Jonas Wind and Alexander Bah.

The most one-sided encounters were their first ever clashes in 1913 which Denmark won 8-0 and 10-0 respectively.

The scorers in that inaugural meeting in Copenhagen were Kristian Gyldenstein (three), Anthon Olsen (two), Vilhelm Wolfhagen, Poul ‘Tist’ Nielsen and Nils Middelboe as the Danes hit eight goals without reply.

Sweden have only won one of their last nine meetings with Denmark and last won on Danish soil in a Euro 2008 qualifier a year earlier.

Even that, though, was far from straightforward as a double from Johann Elmander and one from Petter Hansson were cancelled out by Daniel Agger, Tomasson and Leon Andreasen as the Danes fought back from 3-0 down to draw level.

When Sweden were then awarded a penalty, an angry supporter ran on to the pitch and assaulted the referee which led to the Swedes being awarded a 3-0 victory.

You have to go back to 2000 then for the last time the Swedes won in Denmark.