Australia v Denmark: Key moments as Leckie helps Socceroos reach last 16
Read our minute-by-minute commentary of the match below.
View the match summary and statistics on Flashscore
90+6' The referee blows for the end of today's match.
90+6' Andreas Cornelius (Denmark) finds space in the box and tries a looping header at goal from the corner, but the ball goes just over the bar. Unlucky!
90+5' Kasper Dolberg (Denmark) collects a great pass inside the box and misses a golden opportunity. His low shot was directed into the middle of the goal, but the goalkeeper does well to stop his effort.
89' Here is a change. Mathew Leckie is going off and Graham Arnold gives the last tactical orders to Ajdin Hrustic (Australia).
88' Alexander Bah (Denmark) misses a big opportunity to score after striking the ball wide of the right post.
82' Substitution. Mitchell Duke makes way for Jamie Maclaren (Australia).
75' The foul by Robert Skov (Denmark) is worthy of a card and a yellow is duly shown by Mustapha Ghorbal.
74' Substitution. Riley McGree did his best and is replaced by Bailey Wright (Australia).
69' Kasper Hjulmand has decided to introduce fresh legs, with Robert Skov (Denmark) replacing Andreas Skov Olsen.
69' Substitution. Andreas Cornelius (Denmark) replaces Joakim Maehle.
60' Australia 1 - 0 Denmark
An amazing individual effort from Mathew Leckie (Australia) ends with a strike from inside the penalty area. He sends the ball precisely into the bottom right corner and makes it 1-0. Kasper Schmeichel was helpless.
59' Kasper Hjulmand prepares a substitution. Mathias Jensen is replaced by Mikkel Damsgaard (Denmark).
59' That's the end of the game for Martin Braithwaite, who is replaced by Kasper Dolberg (Denmark).
57' Mustapha Ghorbal shows a yellow card to Milos Degenek (Australia) for a tough tackle.
46' Graham Arnold decides to make a substitution. Craig Goodwin will be replaced by Keanu Baccus (Australia).
46' The referee signals that it is time for a substitution and Alexander Bah (Denmark) is coming onto the pitch as Rasmus Kristensen cannot continue after picking up an injury.
46' Referee Mustapha Ghorbal blows his whistle to start the second half.
45+2' The match has reached half-time.
19' Half-chance! Joakim Maehle (Denmark) plays a pass into the box, but Mathew Ryan reacts well to snuff out the attack.
12' Mathias Jensen (Denmark) receives a precise pass in the box and takes the shot early. The ball heads inside the right post, but Mathew Ryan shows off his skills and makes a brilliant save to deny him.
4' Aziz Behich (Australia) receives a yellow card from the referee for a foul that he committed a little earlier.
1' The first half has just begun.
Pre-match
Australia’s first World Cup finals win since 2010, aided by their first clean sheet since 1974, has set up this clash with Denmark as a likely knockout to determine which of the two nations will progress to the Round of 16 with group leaders France.
After sarcastically pleading with his critics for “five minutes to enjoy this”, Australian manager Graham Arnold immediately turned to the task at hand, declaring that his side have so far “achieved nothing”.
Four years after these sides recorded a stalemate (1-1) in Group C of the 2018 finals, this will be a perfect litmus test of how both nations have progressed (or otherwise) since then, with Denmark advancing two places in FIFA’s world rankings (tenth) whilst Australia dropped two spots (38th) since the last clash. A repeat of that 2018 result will be enough for the Socceroos to progress unless fourth-placed Tunisia can conquer France half an hour away in inner-west Doha.
France’s favourites tag in that game suggests otherwise, but the pressure is on Denmark here to claim the win they need to have any chance of progressing at Australia's expense, as they did in Russia four years ago. Denmark could not repeat their two Nations League triumphs over France from earlier in the year, falling 2-1 despite manager Kasper Hjulmand admitting they focused heavily on trying to thwart dual goalscorer Kylian Mbappé.
Hjulmand pointed to his side progressing from the Euro 2020 group stage after losing the first two of their three matches as a source of “hope”, though he could be made to lament what he described as a “slow” performance against Tunisia (0-0) earlier in the finals. Establishing a half-time lead could be key to their fortunes after failing to win each of their last four matches in 2022 that produced a scoreless opening half (D1, L3).
Australia starting XI: Ryan; Degenek, Souttar, Rowles, Behich; Leckie, Irvine, Mooy, Goodwin; Duke, McGree
Denmark starting XI: Schmeichel; Kristensen, Andersen, A. Christensen, Maehle; Hojbjerg, Jensen; Skov Olsen, Eriksen, Lindstrom; Braithwaite
Key battle: As Australia’s first or only goalscorer in their last two international victories, forward Mitch Duke is certainly helping ward off the naysayers in recent weeks. Lining up against him will be defender Andreas Christensen who has been one of Denmark’s bright spots, adding a goal against France to his four shot blocks against Tunisia.
Hot stat: All but two of Denmark’s eight matches in 2022 have seen the winning side register exactly two goals (the others being their 0-0 draw with Tunisia and a 1-0 loss against Croatia).
World Cup trivia: The only player to win the Golden Boot at this tournament for a side that never progressed past the group stage was Russia’s Oleg Salenko who managed the feat in the 1994 World Cup in America. Interestingly, his six goals back then were the only ones he ever scored at international level!
