Denmark 2-0 France: Dynamite Danes miss out on Nations League Finals despite blowing away Les Bleus

First-half
goals
for
Kasper
Dolberg
and
Andreas
Skov
Olsen
put
the
Danes
firmly
in
the
frame
to
reach
next
year’s
final
four,
only
for
rivals
Croatia
to
net
twice
in
the
second
half
to
beat
Austria
and
finish
top
of
Group
A1.

Nevertheless,
an
assured
victory
over
World
Cup
holders
France
in
Copenhagen
offered
a
sharp
reminder
of
Denmark’s
dark
horse
credentials
for
Qatar,
after
also
reaching
the
Euro
2020
semi-finals.

Austria’s
defeat
ensured
Les
Bleus
dodged
relegation
to
the
second
tier,
but
for
Didier
Deschamps,
alarm
bells
may
be
ringing
after
a
lacklustre
campaign.

With
the
risk
of
the
drop
breathing
down
their
necks,
it
was
the
visitors
who
started
sharpest,
with
Kylian
Mbappe
and
Antoine
Griezmann
delivering
early
tests
for
Kasper
Schmeichel.

Yet
Denmark
steadily
gained
ground,
and
when
Dolberg
lunged
by
the
left
post
to
meet
Mikkel
Damsgaard’s
cross
and
bobble
a
finish
over
Alphonse
Areola
in
the
34th
minute,
their
lead
was
not
an
unworthy
one.

Olsen’s
rocket
of
a
volley
through
a
crowded
box
after
a
poorly
fielded
corner
was
a
fine
finish
too,
five
minutes
later,
and
it
was
France
who
went
into
the
sheds
on
the
back
foot.

Attempts
to
fight
back
after
the
interval
were
frequent,
if
speculative,
with
Mbappe
almost
catching
Schmeichel
out
twice,
but
Denmark’s
game
management
proved
too
shrewd
to
be
broken,
seeing
them
through
for
a
famous
win.