UK Edition
France and Denmark advance after first goalless draw of World Cup 2018
By the end of the evening, Didier Deschamps was forced to list the great football nations who have found Russia 2018 difficult, if only to draw attention away from his great France team rolling into the second round as group winners but without a defining performance.
This was a game so bad that at the final whistle the neutrals in the crowd, chiefly Russians, booed heartily France’s underwhelming attempts to break down Denmark in the first goalless game of this World Cup.
Deschamps had made six changes from the team that beat Peru including the likes of Paul Pogba, Samuel Umtiti, Hugo Lloris and Kylian Mbappe and still this was a team missing some of the je ne sais quoi one would expect of the replacement players.
“The reality is that it is challenging for everyone,” Deschamps said. “Look at Argentina who have a very difficult match against Nigeria. Germany got a win by the skin of their teeth. It’s not easy. You can tell me there’s room for improvement but even top teams - Brazil, Germany, Spain - it is not easy for all of them.”
As the news of Peru’s lead over Australia came through the onus on either side to push the game reduced considerably, not that it had ever been at the forefront of Danish minds with a 4-5-1 formation featuring Chelsea’s defender Andreas Christensen in holding midfield.
“As we were getting close to the end of the match even I knew Peru had scored two,” Deschamps said. “Denmark decided to be more cautious, they were afraid of counter attacks. It’s a choice, they have achieved their goal. They are not an easy team to play. They have a solid defence and they had their chances.”
The Danes were happy with 32 per cent possession and one attempt on goal to get a point that takes them into the second round of a World Cup finals for the first time since 2002, when they were beaten by Sven Goran Eriksson’s England team in Japan.
Their coach Age Hareide rejected any notion that this was a poor spectacle, the first 0-0 at a World Cup since Holland and Argentina failed to score over 120 minutes in their semi-final four years ago.
“We just needed one point right?” Hareide said. “We were up against one of the best counter-attacking teams in the world so we would have been stupid to open up a lot of space. We stayed back as long as we could to get the point we needed. It was a 0-0 and we were very pleased with that.”
He also admitted that in his view perhaps Peru had played the best football in the group, but added that sometimes football could be cruel. “You have to handle different styles, pressing high, pressing low,” he said, “you need to do what you need to do to win matches.”
The introduction of Nabil Fekir, the erstwhile Liverpool transfer target, who came on for Antoine Griezmann after 69 minutes, added some spice. Griezmann had not completed a single pass to his strike partner Olivier Giroud.
Mbappe also came on but it was a game that ended with Djibril Sidibe miscuing a pass straight into touch which just about summed up the quality on display. The question seemed to be whether France can step up their performance from here.
Deschamps has not convinced the French public yet but Hareide was sure of what he had seen. “The big countries always take it easy at first and they get stronger as the competition progresses,” he said. “France will do that.”
Talking point
There weren't many, but Sam Wallace was impressed with Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen's performance in central midfield. You can read Sam's analysis here.
T here was not much that showed great imagination in a Danish performance aimed primarily at keeping France at arm’s length other than the use of the Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen as a defensive midfielder to try to help deal with the threat of Antoine Griezmann.
75 min Denmark 0 France 0
I've just realised that if Denmark do finish second in the group I'll be blogging their last-16 match against Croatia on Sunday. I suddenly find myself really hoping they can dig this out and top the group to avoid that happening.
Meanwhile Cornelius, who's worked hard, goes off to be replaced by he exciting young Ajax striker Kasper Dolberg.
Not ideal
So as it stands France top the group and Denmark are second. Martin O'Neill describes the game as "rubbish" in the ITV studio.
It has been poor but I do think we should spare France too savage abuse - they only need a point to top the group and are up against a team with a very strong defence playing five centre-backs. The onus is on Denmark to attack, not them.
Are we in for the first 0-0 of the tournament?
Half-time Denmark 0 France 0
Griezmann and Giroud again aren't on the same wavelength as another France attack peters out. Griezmann is then chopped down by Jorgensen as the Frenchman broke clear with the ball from a Denmark corner. Jorgensen is deservedly booked for his troubles.
And that's half-time. Boos ring around the stadium, Giroud shakes his head, and there are furrowed French brows all round.
31 min Denmark 0 France 0
Another Denmark penalty appeal! Delaney threads a pass to Cornelius, who flies down the left flank and plays a low pass across goal that looks perfect for Eriksen. The Tottenham midfielder can't quite there though as Mandanda rushes from goal and smothers the ball away. Eriksen did get there first but he could only touch the ball onto Mandanda. If there was a foul it was Hernandez taking Eriksen out from behind. No pen is just about the right call.
15 min Denmark 0 France 0
Giroud links up well with Hernandez before digging out a shot that Schmeichel claws away. Don't think that was going in but Schmeichel couldn't take any chances. In the build-up, Hernandez appealed for a penalty after claiming he was fouled by Dalsgaard. Again nothing doing from the referee. Varane heads the resulting corner well wide.
Kick-off
We're under way in Moscow!
A reminder of the teams for this one below. It'll be interesting to see how Denmark line up - there's a thought that Jorgensen will play as a third central defender in a back three.
Denmark are likely out if they lose and Australia. A draw here sees both France and Denmark qualify.
Denmark: Schmeichel, Dalsgaard, Kjaer, Christensen, Larsen, Delaney, Mathias Zanka Jorgensen, Eriksen, Sisto, Cornelius, Braithwaite.
France: Mandanda, Sidibe, Varane, Kimpembe, Lucas, Kante, Nzonzi, Lemar, Griezmann, Dembele, Giroud.
What it means
Denmark make four changes, which include Middlesbrough's strangely un-Scandinavian sounding Martin Braithwaite and former Cardiff striker Cornelius coming in for Schone and Nicolai Jorgensen.
For France it's a reshuffle of the defence, with Lloris, Pavard and Umtiti replaced with Mandanda, Sidibe and Kimpembe. Further forward Pogba, Matuidi and Mbappe make way for Nzonzi, Lemar, and Dembele. Six changes in all for France.
Needle
It would be far too strong to suggest this is any kind of grudge match, but Denmark manager Age Hareide's pre-tournament comments about France certainly add a bit of spice.
When asked about today's opponents, Hareide described France as "nothing special" and suggested that they were "not a team." He also said that Paul Pogba "cares too much about his looks."
Didier Deschamps responded yesterday by saying that Hareide must "take responsibility" for his comments. Deschamps then insisted his team were not out to prove a point against Denmark but were focused simply on securing top spot in Group C.
Having secured qualification with two pretty unconvincing wins, Deschamps is in the enviable position of trying a few things out this afternoon is he so desires (though a defeat would see them lose top spot in the group and have to face Croatia in the last 16).
For Denmark there is the more serious matter of confirming their qualification to the last 16, which they will do if they avoid defeat or if Australia fail to beat Peru. If Denmark lose and Australia win then qualification would come down to goal difference and then goals scored - Denmark are currently +1 with two goals scored; Australia are -1 with two goals scored). Denmark would top the group with a win.
Back to France, and Deschamps will be desperate for a more coherent performance than the two stilted displays his team produced against Australia and then Peru. Granted France looked better against Peru with Olivier Giroud offering them a focal point up front, but they still faded in the second half and struggled to create chances.
Antoine Griezmann in particular will hope to improve after two pretty anonymous outings so far. Assuming Deschamps does make a few tweaks then he has an embarrassment of riches to call upon, with Thomas Lemar, Ousmane Dembele and Nabil Fekir all on the bench against Peru.
For Denmark, Hareide is unlikely to make wholesale changes, but he will have to replace midfielder Yussuf Poulsen, who is suspended. Hareide will also hope his team offer more from an attacking perspective after running out of ideas in the second half against Australia.
The match gets under way at 3pm BST, with team news at 2pm BST if not before.