Preview: Russia vs Denmark
Russia vs
Denmark
In a decisive Group B clash at Copenhagen's Parken Stadium, Russia, fresh from edging Finland, faces a determined Denmark side eager to bounce back after a narrow defeat to Belgium.
Russia
Russia defeated Finland by a lone goal on Wednesday, the 16th of June, at the Krestovsky Stadium in St. Petersburg. Finland’s Pohjanpalo thought he had put his side in front, only to see his celebrations cut short after VAR determined he was inches ahead of the back-line.
Saved by the slimmest of margins, the Russians kept a close eye on the Bayer Leverkusen forward, on loan at Union Berlin. Despite his efforts for another opportunity, he failed to hit the target due to a well-timed block.
Russia’s Aleksey Miranchuk eventually put his team ahead with a fine left-footed curling shot that beat the Finnish goalkeeper, Hradecky. It remained the only goal of the game, despite several clear-cut chances at both ends.
The victory leaves Russia with 3 points and a goal difference of -2, following one win, one loss, and no draws. Russia will be heading into Match Day 3 with three victories in their last six games across all competitions.
Coach Stanislav Cherchesov will likely stick to the 3—4—2—1 formation that earned him his first three points of the tournament. Zenit St. Petersburg’s Dzyuba is expected to return as the spearhead of the attacking "Christmas tree" formation on Monday.
Denmark
Denmark found themselves without any points at the end of the game against Belgium. They kicked off with conviction, mounting a flurry of attacks until the Belgian defense caved in, allowing Yussuf Poulsen to grant Denmark an early lead in the 2nd minute.
After the goal, Denmark displayed agile and creative play in attack but struggled to find a second breakthrough against a resilient Belgian defense. The game changed as the brilliance of Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku emerged, exemplifying why Belgium remains at the top of the FIFA World Rankings.
Lukaku's determination helped set up Thorgan Hazard for an easy tap-in to equalize in the 55th minute. Later, Lukaku's skill led to Belgium's second goal, with De Bruyne finishing with finesse in the 70th minute. Denmark nearly equalized in the dying moments, but Martin Braithwaite's attempt was denied by the crossbar, sealing a 2-1 defeat for Denmark.
With no points and a goal difference of -2 from 0 wins, 0 draws, and 2 losses, Denmark heads into Match Day 3 seeking victory. They are likely to adopt an attacking 3-4-3 formation, looking to improve their current form of WWDWLL.
