France 2-1 Denmark
My SBOTOP colleague suggested the world champions had a score to settle with the Danes at this World Cup 2022.
At first, I wasn’t sure what he meant so I read on.
Then I remembered that Denmark had defeated France not once but twice in a row in the UEFA Nations League, including just two months ago, so Les Bleus wanted some revenge and, more importantly, World Cup highlights to book their place in the last 16.
More importantly, they were also out to break the World Cup curse which they started.
For it was as reigning world champions in 2002 that they failed to get out of the group stage and others have since followed, including Germany four years ago.
This result in Doha means they will not go the same way again.
Whether the World Cup betting odds expect them to overcome their injury woes and retain the crown overall – no nation has done so since Brazil in 1962 – remains to be seen.
Highlights of the game
With key men already ruled out before the squad traveled to Qatar, Didier Deschamps’ men suffered further on the injury front once the tournament began.
An early injury to Lucas Hernandez during their opening success against Australia certainly rocked France. He suffered a rupture of his ACL which means he misses the World Cup and potentially the entire season.
Theo Hernandez replaced his brother and was again given the nod at left-back for this game.
Manchester United defender Raphael Varane started for France in his first match since being injured for his club in October.
He was one of three changes made at the back by Deschamps with Varane replacing Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate and Jules Kounde also in for Benjamin Pavard.
As expected, Olivier Giroud started up front as he looked to become France’s all-time leading goalscorer.
Denmark were also facing the wrath of the injury gods after key midfielder Thomas Delaney suffered a knee injury, forcing him to withdraw from the squad.
With Delaney out and no skipper Simon Kjaer, Andreas Skov Olsen or Kasper Dolberg, manager Kasper Hjulmand made four changes to the side that drew 0-0 against Tunisia in their opener.
Mikkel Damsgaard, Victor Nelsson, Jasper Lindstrom, and Andreas Cornelius all came in as Denmark looked for an improved showing after a lack of threat in front of goal, despite the promptings of Christian Eriksen.
It was an improved showing but the lack of a real presence in the attack was a real hindrance.
After the break, France upped the tempo and it took the alertness of Kasper Schmeichel to keep them out after Kylian Mbappe found Ousmane Dembele who instantly knocked the ball back into his path.
Then the prodigious forward burst beyond a defender on the halfway line and raced towards the box only for Schmeichel to come to the rescue again.
It was always going to be difficult to keep out such a talent for 90 minutes and, just past the hour mark, Hernandez’s pull-back went straight to the Frenchman who poked home via a slight deflection for his sixth World Cup goal and his 30th international strike.
That seemed that but, when there is Eriksen, there is always a chance and they quickly leveled when the fans’ favorite floated in a corner, centre back Joachim Andersen flicked the ball on and there was fellow centre-half, Andreas Christensen, stooping to head in the leveler.
It ended Denmark’s run of 271 minutes without a goal at a World Cup and one nearly became two when Damsgaard found Jesper Lindstrom whose effort was parried by Hugo Lloris.
Now it was end-to-end.
The impressive Aurelien Tchouameni’s diving header was heading in until it hit Joakim Maehle, while substitute Martin Braithwaite was close with a clipped shot.
The final word, however, was to go to the outstanding player on the pitch.
Antoine Griezmann’s cross was inviting and there was Mbappe to bundle the ball across the line from close range.
It took his tally for the calendar year to 50 goals for club and country.
The new heir to the throne dominated for so long by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi?
Key statistics
Mbappe joins the great Pele as the only player to score seven World Cup goals before turning 25.
He is also just the second France player to score in three successive World Cup games after Just Fontaine in 1958 (run of six).
France have become the first team to win six World Cup games in a row since Spain in 2010.
This was the fourth meeting between France and Denmark at the World Cup, all in the group stage of the competition.
France have gone on to win the tournament on two of the previous occasions they’ve faced Denmark (1998 and 2018), yet failed to progress beyond the group stage following a 2-0 defeat to the Danes, as holders, in 2002.
Until today, each of Denmark’s past four World Cup games had been drawn.
What’s next?
It’s a return to action on Wednesday afternoon (November 30) for both these nations.
Denmark face Australia while France meet Tunisia as Group D draws to a close.
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