Depth offers hope amid Danish disappointment
Andreas Cornelius assesses the highs and lows of Denmark's 0-0 draw with Tunisia at Education City.
Denmark began their campaign with a frustrating goalless draw against Tunisia
Andreas Cornelius tells FIFA+ the Danes “expected better” of themselves at Education City
The impact of players off the bench, however, once again offers encouragement
It’s the kind of moment that, in tournaments past, might have derailed Denmark.
Thomas Delaney, midfield lynchpin, gestured over to the bench, pointed to his knee, and signalled that his game was over.
With his side already under heavy pressure and in danger of being overwhelmed by an aggressive, hard-running Tunisia side, it was the last thing Kasper Hjulmand needed to see as half-time approached.
But it said everything for Denmark’s current strength that, as Delaney departed, Hjulmand was able to call upon one of UEFA EURO 2020’s brightest stars.
And with Mikkel Damsgaard offering a different, more attacking midfield blend alongside Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Christian Eriksen, the Danes not only survived – they thrived. A far better second half followed, with Tunisia the team pinned back as yet more high-calibre substitutes entered the fray to offer fresh impetus to Hjulmand’s side.
As one of those substitutes, striker Andreas Cornelius, told FIFA+: “We have a really strong bench now and I think that’s so important these days, especially in a tournament like this.
"The World Cup is so intense and compact, with three games in eight days, and you know that injuries can always happen.
“But when you have quality players to come in and a way of playing that we trust in, you don’t worry so much when that happens. Every player in this squad can make a positive contribution here and we’ve shown in the past that we can rotate and still get positive results.”
In truth though, this show of strength in depth and an improved second-half showing represented measly crumbs of comfort for a disappointed Denmark team. Hjulmand’s players have grown to demand high standards of themselves during his impressive reign and, today, there was no denying that they fell short.
“We’re not happy with the result,” said Cornelius, who missed perhaps the most glaring of the team’s few chances. “As for the performance, we definitely expect better from ourselves. We wanted to control the game and, in the first half especially, we really failed to do that.
“They made it difficult for us with their tackles and their intensity, and with those fans cheering them on. That made the first hour a real battle. It was only in the last 30 minutes that we got the control we wanted in the game. But it still wasn’t enough and we can’t go back happy.”
Better, certainly, will be required on Saturday, when the Danes lock horns with the world champions at Stadium 974. Nonetheless, having inflicted home-and-away UEFA Nations League defeats on the French in the last six months, there is no chance of the Danes harbouring an inferiority complex.
“It’s obviously going to be a big challenge, but we have every reason to feel good after those wins,” Cornelius said. “That alone tells us we can compete very well.
“If there’s been a key to those successes, it’s been the way we play as a team, working hard for each other, and then having the quality to hurt them. You often see that: teams that play as a unit, providing they have people who can create and score goals, can surprise these bigger teams. We’ve shown that before against France and I believe we can do it again.”