Emma Kemp was at Al Janoub Stadium, and her verdict is in. Congratulations to Australia, commiserations to Tunisia and Denmark, and thanks for reading this MBM. Enjoy the rest of your day, wherever you are!
Despite the late hour, this result has gone down well in Sydney. Elias Visontay is on the spot. Shame about the social media ban imposed by Graham Arnold, because otherwise Mathew Leckie could party vicariously through this.
George St in Sydney at 4am @GuardianAus pic.twitter.com/J3Sgs1uXkc
— Elias Visontay (@EliasVisontay) November 30, 2022
Graham Arnold adds: “I’m just so proud of the effort by the boys. A short turnaround, but their effort was incredible. A lot of belief. A lot of hard work. These boys came in with a great mindset. We’ve been working on this for four-and-a-half years, and I could see in their eyes they were ready tonight. No celebrations tonight. That’s why we won after a great win against Tunisia. No celebrations, no emotion, sleep, no social media.” That’ll be news to Mathew Leckie, whose plans for the evening have just been scuppered.
Mathew Leckie speaks to the world. “I’m proud, exhausted, everything really. It’s hard to describe the emotions right now. We always knew we could do it as a group. We had our doubters but our spirit, our belief, our work ethic and how close we are as a group shows on the pitch. The last 15, 20 minutes we battled until the end. It didn’t matter what they threw at us, we weren’t conceding. We’ll make the most of it tonight, but then it’s all about recovery.”
What a performance by Australia! They started the match slowly, but grew into it after the half hour, and were by far the better side for the rest of it. Mathew Leckie is the goalscoring hero – and what a heroic goal he scored – but Aberdeen-born Harry Souttar was arguably the man of the match. He cleared just about everything. One of the great defensive displays … though his team-mates, to a man, weren’t half bad either! Australia cavort, as well they might. Tonight Al Wakrah belongs to them. Spare a thought for poor Tunisia, though, who have beaten France 1-0, an incredible victory against the world champions, even if they were facing their second string. Their efforts all in vain. Not for the Socceroos, though, who deservedly make the last 16 and will face the winner of Group C – Argentina, maybe? – on Saturday.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | France | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 2 | Australia | 3 | -1 | 6 |
| 3 | Tunisia | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 4 | Denmark | 3 | -2 | 1 |
FULL TIME: Australia 1-0 Denmark
The whistle goes, and Australia are deservedly through! Denmark go home having done very little at this World Cup.
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90 min +6: … and there’s half a chance for Denmark, as Eriksen hits the corner long from the left. Cornelius rises highest, six yards out, just to the right of goal … but sends his header onto the roof of the net! Australia are surely there!
90 min +5: Ryan is forced to hack clear under pressure from Dolberg, on the edge of his six-yard box. Denmark come again. Degenek and Ryan hesitate, the keeper eventually hacking out for a corner in a panic. Eriksen goes over again. Schmeichel comes up too!
90 min +4: … but it’s not over yet, and Damsgaard wins a corner for Denmark down the left. Eriksen to take. Schmeichel comes up to contest it. But there are to be no heroics, as Ryan claims confidently. He doesn’t launch a counter. Possession more important as the clock ticks on.
90 min +3: Another booming Souttar header. What heroics!
90 min +2: Australia are sitting deep, desperately holding on to what they have. It’s tense all right!
90 min +1: Skov’s half-shot, half-cross from the left nearly finds Eriksen, six yards out, but that man Souttar pops up yet again to clear. He’s been immense.
90 min: Dolberg over-contests a cross with Degenek and any Danish pressure dissipates immediately. There will be six added minutes. Australia are six minutes away from the last 16!
89 min: Leckie, who looks like being the matchwinning hero, makes way for Hrustic. What an ovation he receives!
88 min: Lindstrom slips Dolberg into the box down the right. He’s got half a second to shoot, but before he can, the heroic Souttar comes sliding across to block. The ball breaks to Bah, who slices harmlessly wide. What a challenge that was!
87 min: Damsgaard whips a cross in from the left. Souttar – who, unlike the Danes, really has turned up for this World Cup – batters a header clear.
85 min: Denmark are doing nothing. They’ve not turned up for this World Cup at all. Possession is weakly shipped, allowing Baccus to drive forward and have a blast from 30 yards. Deflected away from danger by Andersen.
83 min: Maclaren comes on for Duke, who has been a good ol’ boy tonight. No need to thank me for the Waylon Jennings earworm.
82 min: Denmark work the ball infield from the right and tee up Cornelius, whose low drive is blocked by the ever-industrious Souttar.
81 min: Andersen, under no pressure whatsoever in his own half, passes the ball out for a throw to Australia. Denmark are beyond rattled.
79 min: Denmark pass it around patiently, which is kind of admirable and yet also not. Bah eventually gets fed up and hoicks a wild cross from the right out of play on the left.
77 min: Bah bursts in from the right and has a dig. His shot is blocked but loops to Dolberg, who attempts to score from the edge of the box with an improvised scorpion kick. Full marks for ambition, but he only manages to backheel the ball onto his own back, and it balloons softly into Ryan’s arms. That would have been special.
75 min: Baccus drops a shoulder to get past Skov on the right touchline. Skov pulls him back by the shoulder and goes into the book.
74 min: With Denmark now in kitchen-sink-throwing mode, Australia make a defensive change. McGree makes way for the more tactically conservative Wright.
73 min: Another cross into the Australian box from the left. Skov attacks the ball but shoves Rowles and the whistle goes.
71 min: The referee blows for a penalty as Eriksen swings in from the left, and Souttar bundles Dolberg to the ground under the high ball. But then the flag goes up for offside! Dolberg was indeed off, before any offence, and Denmark’s emotions swing from elation and excitement to impotent anger and despair.
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70 min: Denmark have been toothless. They make another double change to shake things up. On come Cornelius and Skov for Maehle and Skov Olsen.
69 min: Another Danish corner, this time from the left. Eriksen rakes it long. Andersen heads harmlessly wide right.
67 min: “Matthew Leckie’s nickname must be Bill,” quips Sean Boiling, and he’s on a roll. “Such power. Such energy. Will Denmark pay the price?” Meanwhile Behich flicks a switch and suddenly turns into Garrincha, dancing down the left wing and then along the byline. It’s a sensational dribble, but he runs out of road as he tries to force home from the left-hand corner of the six-yard box. Goal kick.
65 min: Denmark try to respond, winning a corner down the right. Eriksen’s delivery is floated in, and easily cleared by Irvine. Australia have been marvellous since the start of the second half. Since the final few minutes of the first half, in fact.
63 min: Australian tails are up, and now Leckie pops up on the right wing, nearly found by a raking diagonal from Irvine. Not quite. Denmark, one of the pre-tournament hipster-choice dark horses, have to dig super deep now.
61 min: Australia go wild, and no wonder! As things stand, they’ll make it through to the knockout stage for only the second time in their history!
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | France | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 2 | Australia | 3 | -1 | 6 |
| 3 | Tunisia | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 4 | Denmark | 3 | -2 | 1 |
GOAL! Australia 1-0 Denmark (Leckie 60)
Denmark press forward. But Australia intercept and break upfield! McGree sends a pass down the inside-left channel for Leckie, who is in acres, bursting a gut from the halfway line. Leckie twists Maehle this way and that, before threading a wonderful shot across Schmeichel and into the bottom right!
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59 min: Denmark swap out Braithwaite and Jensen for Dolberg and Damsgaard.
58 min: Nothing comes of the free kick … but in the other game, Tunisia have taken the lead against France! As things stand, it’s Tunisia who are going through!
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | France | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| 2 | Tunisia | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 3 | Australia | 3 | -2 | 4 |
| 4 | Denmark | 3 | -1 | 2 |
57 min: The ever-busy Lndstrom diddles Degenek by the left-hand corner flag and is hauled back cynically. Degenek goes into the book. Free kick just to the left of the Aussie box.
56 min: Denmark have made 351 passes to Australia’s 146. But look at the score. “Pennants!” exclaims our picture guru Paul Bellsham. “Iran’s is quite special.” He’s not wrong, is he, dear reader. That is a beauty. Thankfully, our Pennant-o-meter™ goes up to 11.
54 min: Lindstrom cuts infield but slips as he prepares to shoot. Denmark are getting back on top. They need the win, too, and might need more than one goal depending on what Tunisia get up to.
52 min: Rowles takes a Skov Olsen shot full in the mush. Standing brave. That will have hurt, but he’s OK to continue.
50 min: Denmark slow Australia’s gallop a little with some sterile possession, looking to re-establish some of their early control.
48 min: Leckie crosses low from the left. Irvine takes a first-time swing at the ball and sends it sailing over the crossbar. Am guessing Australia have been told Tunisia look capable of beating France, and are going for the win that would render that immaterial.
47 min: From the corner, Behich has a dig from the edge of the box. His effort looks to be heading wide, but is deflected out for another corner. Andersen clears Mooy’s delivery, but that’s a confident start to the second period by Australia.
Glad I got that done just in time for the second half. Australia get the ball rolling again, having replaced Goodwin with Baccus, and win their first corner of the afternoon in short order. Denmark meanwhile have swapped out Kristensen for Bah.
Half-time entertainment … and it’s the return of PENNANT WATCH! As requested by hundreds of readers! OK, one. “I can’t see any pennants,” writes Joe Balfour. “I heard Denmark had a real cracker, yet I haven’t seen it. Do I have to start a petition?” I’m afraid you’ve been sorely misinformed, Joe. This is garden variety at best …
… and the things Australia have been handing out aren’t anything to write about either.
Compare and contrast to the effort France have put in. That’s why they’re champions, I guess.
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Group C, then. Here’s Will Unwin’s take on the first half of Tunisia v France …
Tunisia have been the better team by a mile, while France have played some ludicrously low-quality and disjointed stuff. If there is any justice, Tunisia will win this match.
… and a reminder that, should Tunisia beat the French B team, Australia will need to win to pip them. A draw no good in that scenario. Denmark would also need to win – they have to, regardless – and register a better goal difference than the Tunisians. This is how the table looks as things stand.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | France | 3 | 4 | 7 |
| 2 | Australia | 3 | -2 | 4 |
| 3 | Denmark | 3 | -1 | 2 |
| 4 | Tunisia | 3 | -1 | 2 |
HALF TIME: Australia 0-0 Denmark
It’s goalless at half-time in the other match, too, so as things stand, Australia are going through to the last 16 and Denmark are going home.
45 min +1: The first of two added minutes. Skov Olsen handles the ball, then slides through the back of Duke. He’s extremely fortunate not to go into the book for that saucy one-two.
45 min: Degenek with another long throw from the right. Leckie battles for the ball on the right-hand corner of the six-yard box and loops high into the middle. Schmeichel wants to claim but is forced to punch clear.
44 min: Degenek flings a long throw into the mixer. Denmark deal with it. Australia have grown into this game, though, and after a slow start are now showing in attack.
42 min: Lindstrom earns a couple of yards down the left and looks low for Braithwaite in the middle. His cross is too close to Ryan, who claims ahead of the Danish striker. A more measured pass and Braithwaite was poking home.
41 min: Duke strides confidently down the inside-left channel and tries to beat Schmeichel from long range. Nope. An easy gather.
39 min: Maehle attempts to clear but only succeeds in blootering the ball straight into McGree’s startled grid. The ball rebounds down the right wing, allowing McGree to chase after it and tear clear. Denmark and Maehle are very fortunate that McGree’s cross can’t beat first man Christensen. That could have been a goal for the slapstick scrapbook.
38 min: Another free kick for Denmark in Australian territory, another chance for Eriksen to wave his wand. He curls long into the Aussie box. Irvine deals with it easily and clears. For all Denmark’s dominance, they haven’t forced Ryan into too much work since those early shots.
36 min: Leckie and Christensen tangle and fall over. Leckie gets up first and prepares to run off with the ball down the inside-right channel. He’d be clear, but the referee blows up, judging him the guilty party in the aforementioned knot of limbs. It’s a harsh call. Lucky Christensen, lucky Denmark.
34 min: Leckie looks long for Duke, who once again displays a poor touch. Maehle comes across to cover and clear.
32 min: McGree nearly releases Duke into the Danish box down the inside-right channel. Christensen is out of position but Duke can’t control. Australia go again, Irvine flicking a long-range header straight at Schmeichel. Not sure that was an effort on goal, but more a ball intended for his strikers.
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31 min: The pace drops a little, which will suit Australia, who haven’t been given the runaround exactly, but have been forced to do quite a bit of chasing.
29 min: Lindstrom dribbles down the left at pace and looks for Jensen in the middle. The ball breaks back to Eriksen, who pulls his shot from the edge of the box well wide left.
27 min: Denmark have enjoyed 62 percent possession so far. Australia are on 27 percent, with the increasingly sinister Inigo Nigel Contest on 11.
25 min: Denmark come again, Jensen slipping Skov Olsen into a little bit of space down the inside-right channel. Skov Olsen doesn’t have much time and scuffs a shot into the arms of Ryan. The Danes certainly look the more likely right now.
24 min: Maehle and Lindstrom combine nicely down the left. It looks like Maehle is about to work some space to shoot in the box when Mooy comes across to blooter clear.
22 min: Ryan is bollocked for wasting time over a goal kick, the referee performing the internationally recognised watch-tapping mime for impatience. Australia then demonstrate they’re not just about running the clock down, Duke glancing the ball on for McGree, who smacks a looping shot straight at Schmeichel.
21 min: St Eriksen creams a delightful diagonal ball towards Kristensen on the right wing. Kristensen earns a corner that comes to nothing, but you’ll not see many better passes than that this month.
19 min: Maehle dances his way down the left wing and whips a low cross-cum-shot into the six-yard box. Ryan kicks it away in the ice-hockey style with Braithwaite lurking. Denmark are giving the Australian door a long hard rap with the old knuckles.
18 min: A free kick for Denmark out on the left. The beatific Eriksen floats it to the far post, where Christensen heads wide and is caught offside in any case.
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16 min: Denmark are much the livelier side. They’re hogging possession and pressing Australia back. “I see from your photo that Christian Eriksen is now wearing a halo while playing, such is his popularity,” notes Justin Kavanagh of our 40-sec snap. Ha! Indeed he is. “Bad form for a Red Devil, though.”
14 min: Braithwaite has a chance to shoot from a central position, on the edge of the D, but opts to lay off right to Skov Olsen instead. Skov Olsen isn’t in such a good position, and whistles a shot high and wide. “Was going to watch Australia v Denmark and follow Tunisia on the MBM, but not sure I can bear a full match of BBC commentator Jonathan Pearce, so might have to switch and stay with you.” Richard Hirst there, with a compliment of sorts.
12 min: Eriksen’s near-post delivery is headed clear by Leckie. Denmark need a win and it looks like they don’t intend to depart wondering.
11 min: Skov Olsen reaches the byline down the right and pulls back for Lindstrom. For a nanosecond, it looks like a fine opportunity to slam home from six yards, but Rowles throws himself in front of the Dane and blocks brilliantly. Denmark aren’t taking no for an answer, though, and another phase sees Jensen rush after a cute flick down the inside-right channel. He sends a fine rising shot towards the top right. Ryan parries around the post marvellously. Corner.
9 min: Denmark hit another long ball but Lindstrom is penalised for a push on Degenek. Quite a few long passes already. They look like a tactic all right.
7 min: Lindstrom slides Maehle into space down the left. Maehle whips a fierce low cross towards Braithwaite at the near post, but Ryan is off his line quickly to claim confidently. That’s good football all round.
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5 min: A low cross into the Australian box from the right by Kristensen. Jensen gets on the end of it, on the right-hand corner of the six-yard box, but can only flick the ball out for a goal kick.
4 min: Behich picks up the first yellow of the match. An early one. He deserved it, though, for a cynical tug on the in-flight Skov Olsen.
3 min: The first shot in anger is taken by McGree, who pearls one from distance. Blocked.
2 min: In the stadium today: Gianni Infantino, in suit and new white trainers. On his side table: a carafe of Brazil nuts? Might be seeing things. The trainers are real.
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40 sec: Eriksen is nearly sent free down the middle but Degenek gets across in time to blast clear. What a start that could have been.
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Denmark get the ball rolling. A lively atmosphere even if the Al Janoub Stadium doesn’t look 100 percent full.
The teams are out! Australia in gold, Denmark in their low-key Hummel-not-Hummel red. We’ll be off once the anthems are sung.
Pre-match reading. The Australian perspective …
… and something to give the Danes succour.
The other game in Group D is Tunisia v France. Will Unwin is all over it. That will only have any bearing on this game should Tunisia spring a surprise … and the odds on that have shortened considerably as Didier Deschamps has made nine changes, with Kylian Mbappé given the chance to pop up the pieds on the nearest chaise longue. You’d still back France, but Qatar 22 has already delivered bigger shocks, so no assumptions. This could yet be an afternoon for two screens.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | France | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| 2 | Australia | 2 | -2 | 3 |
| 3 | Denmark | 2 | -1 | 1 |
| 4 | Tunisia | 2 | -1 | 1 |
Australia make one change. Milos Degenec replaces Fran Karacic.
Denmark make three changes. Martin Braithwaite, Andreas Skov Olsen and Mattias Jensen come in for Andreas Cornelius, Mikkel Damsgaard and Victor Nelsson. Braithwaite becomes the third striker to lead the line for Denmark in three games. The Danes scored 30 times in qualifying, but their only goal so far is from defender Andreas Christensen who scored in their 2-1 defeat by France.
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The teams
Australia: Ryan, Degenek, Souttar, Rowles, Behich, Leckie, Irvine, Mooy, Goodwin, Duke, McGree.
Subs: Atkinson, Karacic, Tilio, Wright, Maclaren, Hrustic, Mabil, Redmayne, Devlin, Vukovic, Deng, Kuol, King, Cummings, Baccus.
Denmark: Schmeichel, Kristensen, Andersen, Andreas Christensen, Maehle, Hojbjerg, Jensen, Skov Olsen, Eriksen, Lindstrom, Braithwaite.
Subs: Nelsson, Kjaer, Dolberg, Damsgaard, Norgaard, Oliver Christensen, Stryger Larsen, Wass, Wind, Poulsen, Cornelius, Ronnow, Skov, Bah.
Referee: Mustapha Ghorbal (Algeria).
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Preamble
A win for Australia and they’re through. A draw should be enough, unless Tunisia shock France. A win for Denmark will put them through, unless Tunisia do for the champions, in which case their goal difference better be in good nick. A draw no good for the Danes. That, dear reader, is all ye know and all ye need to know. Kick off is at 3pm GMT, 6pm at the Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah. انه يحدث! It’s on!
