Samara: Denmark took the Group C lead with four points, picking up one point in a 1-1 tie with Australia. That keeps the Socceroos alive in the World Cup.
Denmark leads France, which plays Peru later Thursday, by one point in the group.
Thanks to an early goal by Denmark and a penalty-kick goal by Australia that came after handball call the score was tied at 1 after the first half and neither team could break ahead in the second half.
Both teams had their chances, but this one by Aaron Mooy is going to haunt him.
The Socceroos were pesky, hanging in there against Denmark, just as they did in a 2-1 loss to France in their opener.
Australia’s Andrew Nabbout went off in the 73rd minute with what looked for all the world like a shoulder dislocation. He was injured as he tried to break his fall.
With Australia pressing, Yusuf Poulson draws a yellow card for a handball, a call made by VAR, and the Socceroos convert on the penalty kick, with captain Mile Jedinak putting the ball past a diving Kasper Schmeicel and into the net in the 39th minute.
The goal is Jedniak’s third in World Cup play and all have come on penalties. Only Tim Cahill has more career World Cup goals than Jedniak, according to ESPN statisticians.
Australia came on increasingly strongly as the half progressed, ramping up the tension for the second half.
Seven minutes into the match, Denmark scores with Christian Eriksen — no surprise — capitalizing on a nifty goal when Australia fails to clear the ball from in front of the net.
Denmark started well, attacking down the middle and, after a brief flurry by the Socceroos, the Danes were back at it, quickly breaking through after two quality touches by Nicolai Jorgensen. Twenty-three minutes into the match, a bullet of a header by Jorgensen just missed the net.
Twenty-five minutes into the match, Australia catches Denmark on its back foot, but can’t convert.
In what has been an odd World Cup for goals so far, note that this was a “normal” goal by Eriksen.
If you believe in these things, history shows that the Socceroos have lost six consecutive World Cup matches in which they’ve surrendered the first goal.
