FIFA World Cup 2018: Australia hold Denmark to 1-1 draw - As it happened

Photo Credit: PTI

Denmark attacked early in the match, but Australia accelerated from thereon and got the equaliser. Eriksen gave Denmark an early lead with a half-volley but Australia’s Jedinak levelled the match with his goal off a penalty. Australia were in command in the second half but failed to finish in the final third. Denmark, on the other hand, struggled to create any kind of pressure and were forced to defend deep. Australia stay alive while Denmark find themselves on the top of Group C with four points. 

Follow the match updates:

Denmark 1-1 Australia!

FULL TIME!

90+2 minute: Corner to Denmark. Can Denmark make the most of this? Martin Braithwaite goes for a volley but the Australian keeper makes a comfortable save. 

3 minutes of Stoppage time!

89 minute: Eriksen attempts a shot from the distance but hits it wide. 

88 minute: SAVED!! The Denmark goalkeeper will be a relieved man after a brilliant save. The Aussies are up and attacking. 

86 minute: Sisto displays lovely play with his control, Denmark are looking to break the Aussies in dying minutes of the match. 

84 minute: Free-kick to Australia! Yellow card! Pione Sisto gets booked for a bad push. 

82 minute: Substitution for Australia! Rogic is replaced by Jackson Irvine. 

81 minute:  What an effort! Australia's Daniel Arzani makes a dangerous cross from the corner but fails to find a teammate, the goalkeeper looked in trouble there. 

10 minutes to go!

78 minute: Tomi Juric looks good up-front, needs to find more passes. 

73 minute: Australia's Andrew Nabbout does not look good as he seems to have hurt his shoulder. Coach has no other option and replaces him with Tomi Juric. 

Denmark have never scored from outside of the box in their entire World Cup history. 

71 minute: Both teams are pressing each other with series of long-range shots nearly missing the target. 

68 minute: Substitution for Denmark! Nicolai Jorgensen is replaced by Andreas Cornelius. Substitution for Australia! Daniel Arzani in for Robbie Kruse. 

67 minute: That was close! what an effort by the Australian forwards but Denmark defender clipped it away. Corner to Australia. 

65 minute: The Australians are operating well up-front but they need to have a shot on target as they are giving away vital possession to Denmark in the penalty box. 

61 minute:  Aussies are on the attack but the Denmark defender slides in clearance. 

58 minute: Substitution for Denmark!  Martin Braithwaite replaces Yurary Poulsen. Yurary Poulsen will have to miss Denmark's final group game as he was booked twice in two matches. 

55 minute: Corner to Denmark. The Aussies clear the ball comfortably. 

54 minute: Australia look determined to make something happen but the Denmark defenders are not giving away anything easily. 

This World Cup has had 11 penalties so far!

50 minute: Denmark make run into the Australian box but Yurary goes down. He appeals for a VAR check but the Referee disregards it. 

49 minute: Another attack from Australia but they need to hold the ball in the final third as they are giving away chances up front. 

47 minute: Mathew Leckie makes a run from the right flank and finds space but a Denmark defender makes a timely block. 

Second-half is underway

Australia 1-1 Denmark!

Half-time!

2 minutes of Stoppage time!

43 minute: Australia are up and attacking but are lacking support in the final-third. 

41 minute: Free-kick to Denmark. That was close! It could have been an own goal as the Australian defender make a feeble contact to the ball but the Australian goalkeeper is on his toes to collect it. 

Australia 1-1 Denmark!

38 minute: GOAL!!!  Mile Jedinak scores with a comfortable shot. Australia have the equaliser. 

36 minute: Denmark's Yussuf Yurary gives away a penalty with a clear miss. 

35 minute: Referee checks for a potential handball by a Denmark player. Penalty!!

Possession 

Australia- 55 percent

Denmark-  45 percent

33 minute: The Australians are forcing Denmark to defend deep. 

30 minute:  Australia's Robbie Kruse could have scored there but the Denmark wall stays intact. MISS!

Interestingly,  Denmark have not lost a game when Christian Eriksen has scored. 

26 minute: Another great effort by Australia from the left-flank but they need to get more Men on the Denmark penalty box. 

22 minute: Free-kick to Australia but the ball goes wide. Aussies are pressing hard in the final-third. 

20 minute: The tempo of the game seems to have gone down as both teams are trying to settle in and hold possession. 

18 minute:  Nice play by Australia, who have plenty of time to equalise after conceding a goal early in the first-half. 

15 minute: Free-kick to Denmark after Pione Sisto goes down. Eriksen shoots the ball inside the box but Australian defender clears it away.

10 minute:  Corner to Australia. The ball is cleared to safety. 

Denmark 1-0 Australia 

7 minute: GOAL!!! Christian Eriksen opens the Denmark scoreline with a brilliant finish on the top left corner. Lovely play by Nicolai Jorgensen as he flicked the ball to Eriksen

5 minute: Corner to Australia. That was close! Mathew Leckie heads it past the crossbar. 

4 minute:  Andrew Nabbout makes a great run into the Australian box but the ball is deflected by the Australian defender. 

2 minute: Corner to Denmark, who are attacking in the early minutes of the match. 

1 minute: Free-kick to Denmark. The defence clears the ball but gives away a corner. 

Kick-off

While Denmark certainly are the favourites, more so because they have not lost their last 16 matches, Australia are unlikely to be pushovers as their last game showed. The Danes last lost a match against Montenegro on October 11, 2016. Since they have won nine, drawn seven matches and not allowed their rivals to score a goal in the last five matches. On the other hand, Australia have a problem up front as they have scored just 12 goals in their last 15 matches.

Starting Lineups:

Denmark XI: Kasper Schmeichel; Jens Stryger Larsen, Andreas Christensen, Simon Kjaer, Henrik Dalsgaard; Lasse Schone, Thomas Delaney, Christian Eriksen; Pione Sisto, Nicolai Jorgensen, Yussuf Yurary Poulsen

Australia XI: Mathew Ryan; Aziz Behich, Mark Milligan, Trent Sainsbury, Josh Risdon; Aaron Mooy, Tom Rogic, Mile Jedinak, Robbie Kruse; Andrew Nabbout, Mathew Leckie

Full squad:

Australia: Goalkeepers - Brad Jones, Mat Ryan, Danny Vukovic. Defenders - Aziz Behich, Milos Degenek, Matthew Jurman, James Meredith, Josh Ridson, Trent Sainsbury. Midfielders - Tim Cahill, Jackson Irvine, Mile Jedinak, Robbie Kruse, Massimo Luongo, Mark Milligan, Aaron Mooy, Tom Rogic. Forwards - Daniel Arzani, Tomi Juric, Jamie Maclaren, Mathew Leckie, Andrew Nabbout, Dimitri Petratos

Denmark: Goalkeepers - Jonas Lossl, Frederik Ronow, Kasper Schmeichel. Defenders - Andreas Christensen, Mathias Jorgensen, Simon Kjaer, Jonas Knudsen, Jens Stryger Larsen, Jannik Vestergaard. Midfielders - Thomas Delaney, Christian Eriksen, Michael Krohn-Dehli, William Kvist, Lukas Lerager, Lasse Schone. Forwards - Martin Braithwaite, Andreas Cornelius, Kasper Dolberg, Viktor Fischer, Nicolai Jorgensen, Yussuf Poulsen, Pione Sisto