Denmark Vs. Tunisia: World Cup Group D

Denmark Line-up: 1: Schmeichel 2: Anderson 4: Kjaer 16: Christensen 5: Maehle 23: Hojbjerg 8: Delaney 10: Eriksen 11: Skov Olsen 12: Dolberg 13: Kristensen.

Tunisia Line-up: 16: Dahmen 24: Abdi 3: Talbi 4: Meriah 6: Bronn 20: Draeger 14: Laidouni 17: Skhiri 25: Slimane 7: Msakni 9: Jembali

1st Min: Kick Off, the game is underway by the Danes

528 days after Eriksen suffered his cardiac arrest and collapsing on the pitch, his back in the starting lineup and looking to cause problems to the Tunisian defence.

4th Min: The Tunisians are putting on some early pressure with Slimane and Jebali playing it in and around the 18-yard box, the ball falls for Jebali but Anderson blocks and the play is eased.

The favourites of this game look to be the northern Europeans, with Tunisia last keeping a clean sheet in a world cup game against the big West Germany in 1978.

Denmark are one of the the seven western world teams that have been denied of wearing the LGBTQ+ captains’ armband during this Qatari World cup.

10th Min: CHANCE! Drager has a pot shot from around 35 yards central of the goal, his weak shot deflects off Barcelona man Andreas Christensen and goes just far of the left-hand side of the post.

Denmark have played a part with there sponsor Hummel, due to thousands who lost their life during the construction of each stadium made, in a statement Hummel explained why there logo won’t be visable “We don’t wish to be visible during a tournament that has cost thousands of people’s lives.”

19th Min: Atalanta full-back Maehle drives down the right-hand side, allowing a cross to the back post, allowing Talbi to clear away.

21st Min: BEAUTIFUL SET PIECE! Eriksen has a chance to put the ball in from a angled free-kick, he puts the ball in beautifully but the ball is headed out of play, Eriksen then has a chance of putting the ball in from the cross, Kjaer wins the header allowing Anderson to have a shot but it’s straight into Dahmen’s hands.

23rd Min: THE BALLS IN THE NET! But it’s offside… Jebali think’s he has scored the opening goal of group D, but a late offside flag denies this. A good bit of play from the number nine but his gentle finish doesn’t pay dividends.

26th Min: Leeds man, Kristensen, has the chance to cross, but it lands straight into the hands of Dahmen. Good pressure from Denmark at the current time.

Since Euro 2020, Joakim Maehle has contributed for nine of Denmarks goals… a pivotal part of this Denmark team.

31st Min: Lovely nutmeg from Msakni in the midfield, he looks up and see Jebali in space, he plays a wonderful through ball towards the striker, the striker attempts to cut back but Anderson tackles him well.

33rd Min: Half-chance! Tottenham number six, who’s popped up with a few goals in the Premier league has a pot-shot from the Left-hand side of the pitch, but his weak shot is gathered by Dahmen.

Two young Danes that are on the radar of many teams now are Club Brugges Andreas Skov Olsen and Frankfurt’s Jesper Lindstrom, Arsenal are one of the main teams to show the most interest.

Tunisia is making their fifth World Cup appearance but have never progressed beyond the group stage, so far in this game against the Danes, their looking promising.

38th Min: CHANCE! The ball luckily falls for Laidouni at the back post, allowing him to unleash a first-time volley, unlucky for him, he hits it too high. Good chance.

40th Min: Skov Olsen dribbles into the box and plays a square pass towards Hojbjerg, sadly for him he can’t get a touch on the ball, the Tottenham man then retrieves the ball, but Laidouni is strong in the challenge.

42nd Min: WHAT A SAVE!!! Jebali gets played in my Slimane, it looks like the opening goal is here, but Kasper Schmeichel says no!! Jebali attempts to chip the ball from 6-yards out, but Schmeichel gets fingertips to turn it around the near post. Tunisia are playing well!!!

45th Min: Delaney is off the pitch after a sliding challenge on Msakni, he is seen holding his hamstring after the challenge… hopefully his world cup isn’t over. Brentford’s Damsgaard replaces him.

As the first half closes in, Tunisia should be extremely proud of their first half display, knocking the ball around with precision, playing like a top team.

48th Min: Another great curling ball from Eriksen from the set piece, but Meriah clears the ball well with his head.

HALF-TIME: it’s half time, the north Africans should be proud of their first half performance, making Schmeichel produce a world class save from close range… All square going into the break with Group D barely changing with both teams being on one point. France and Australia will be playing at 19:00 UK time tonight in the same group, so a result for either teams will be huge.

45th Min: Tunisia get started with second-half kick-off

This is the first competition where all the African teams are managed by African Mangers with Rigobert Song for Cameroon, Aliou Cisse for Senegal, Walid Regragui for Morocco, Otto Addo for Ghana and Jalel Kadri for Tunisia.

50th Min: It’s not the first time Jebali has found himself striding towards the goal, but yet again his lack of composure isn’t helping him out. The Danish defence where just too quick for him and they retrieve the ball.

54th Min: Denmark have the ball in the back of the net from Shov Olsen but it’s offside, scrappy defending from the Tunisians, but they get away with it.

56th Min: CHANCE! Damsgaard produces a first time cross which reaches the head of Dolberg, but he can’t direct his header into the goal.

Despite Denmark not playing their best so far, they have had some pin-point passing, with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg with a 92% pass accuracy and Eriksen with a 93%.

One of the big reasons why Tunisia are so up for this game is because of their fans, before the match, the Tunisians sang their national anthem with such passion and meaning, playing a knock-on effect into this game.

64th Min: Kjaer for Cornelius, Dolberg for Jensen, Skov Olsen for Lindstrom.

One of the star players for Tunisia so far must be their number 14 Laidouni, he’s been pressing and tackling the whole time and hasn’t given up.

66th Min: Slimane for Sliti.

68th Min: GOOD SAVE!! Dahmen denies Eriksen from the 18-yard box, was a good height for the keeper, but a decent save otherwise.

69th Min: WHAT A CHANCE! Cornelius puts a direct corner in towards the back post allowing Andreas Christensen to down wards header the ball towards the far post, but it hits of the post and Tunisia clear.

71st min: PENALTY SHOUT! Anderson seems to get away with one as the ball hits his arm as the Tunisian player tries to knock past the Crystal Palace centre half.

75th Min: Maehl and Jensen play a one-two in and around the box, Jensen has the ball, trying to create space for himself, he finally releases a shot towards the near post but scuffs it.

78th Min: Subs: Msakni for Mejbri Jebali for Khenissi.

The Manchester United potential wonderkid is on the pitch for his first Tunisia cap, let’s see if Hannibal Mejbri can knock on the Danish doors in the final third of the match.

82nd Min: Maehl thinks a penalty should be given after Hannibal commits to the challenge, either way the ref calls that the ball has gone out of play and it’s a goal kick instead. On second viewing’s it doesn’t look like the ball crossed the line.

87th Min: Sub: Laidouni for Sassi.

90th min: 5 added minutes have been added on.

92nd min: Eriksen stands over the corner and the ball is congested in the box, appeals from the Danes for a hand ball.

92nd min: Lindstrom looks to try and cross the ball, but it turns into more of a shot, Dahmen does well to save in an unorthodox sense.

93rd Min: POSSIBLE PENALTY! Cesar Palazuelos goes to the VAR after a possible handball on a Tunisia player, but the ref doesn’t give it, it looks like a penalty and Denmark look to get away with one.

96th Min: It’s a last-minute corner!! Eriksen lifts a delicate ball into the box, the header is won and looped towards the goal but the keeper claims.

97th Min: Despite playing two minutes over, the final whistle is finally blown!! It ends 0-0 and the standings in Group D barely change, with both teams sharing the point!

MOTM: My MOTM goes to Tunisia number 14 Laidouni, he was all over the pitch and was very tidy with the ball, his decision making played a big part of the result and all in all he certainly played a MOTM performance.

Player Ratings:

Tunisia:

Jebali – 7

Msakni – 7

Slimane – 6

Abdi – 5

Laidouni – 9

Drager – 6

Talbi – 7

Meriah – 7

Bronn – 6

Dahmen – 8

Denmark:

Dolberg – 5

Skov Olsen – 5

Maelh – 5

Eriksen – 7

Delaney – 6

Hojbjerg – 7

Kristensen – 5

Christensen – 8

Kjaer – 6

Anderson – 6

Schmeichel – 8