England vs Denmark predictions: Lionesses can down Danes

Steve Davies
Spotlight
Sarina Wiegman will be hoping England can make it two wins from two at this year's World Cup
Sarina Wiegman will be hoping England can make it two wins from two at this year's World Cup

- England head for Sydney on a run of three-straight clean sheets 
- Denmark have scored only three goals in their last four internationals 
- Recommended bet: England to win 2-0 Correct Score

England and Denmark head for Sydney with top spot in Group D the prize after both made winning starts to the World Cup.

Neither nation set pulses racing in their openers, England pipping Haiti 1-0 before the Danes beat China by the same scoreline.

Sarina Wiegman's European champions are clear favourites to beat their lower-ranked opposition. 

But there have already been enough scares and shocks at the tournament to ensure England will not be complacent.

Team news

England head coach Wiegman has a big call to make. Apparently everyone trained this week so the Dutchwoman has a full squad from which to perm the right strike force after the quartet she picked against Haiti failed to cover itself in glory.

It is quite likely Lauren James will come in for Chloe Kelly on the right flank, while Wiegman needs to decide whether to stick with Alessia Russo up front or draft in Rachel Daly from the start.

Denmark coach Lars Sondegaard may be tempted to name an unchanged side, although striker Amelie Vangsgaard made a claim for a starting berth after her scoring cameo off the bench against China.

The stats

England are now unbeaten in their last 17 World Cup and European Championship matches, including qualifiers.

Sarina Wiegman's side have gone 293 minutes since they last conceded a goal.

However, England have failed to score a goal from open play in any of their previous four internationals.

Denmark's last four matches have produced just five goals, with the Danes not scoring more than once in any of those.

In-form Rachel Daly will be pushing for a start against Denmark
In-form Rachel Daly will be pushing for a start against Denmark

Prediction

England and Denmark both did what they had to without turning on the style in their opening games, and there is no doubt there is more to come from both.

The Lionesses were generally okay in their 1-0 win over Haiti, who deserve plaudits for the way they stifled England.

Equally, China were all energy against Denmark and were ultimately unlucky to lose 1-0 to a late Amelie Vangsgaard header.

Low-scoring games have become something of a characteristic of both these sides and while England should beat a European opponent ranked nine places below them, it is unlikely to be a goals feast. These sides are just too well organised.

To that end, England are short enough in 90-minute betting to be left alone in that market, or perhaps worth sticking in a World Cup acca. They should be too strong for a Danish side who mustered, after all, just two efforts on target against China and could not get their one gem, Pernille Harder, sufficiently into the game.

If Millie Bright does a professional job on Harder then it is hard to see Denmark troubling Mary Earps in the England goal.

That, in turn, encourages the possibility of backing England to Win to Zero or England to Win and Under 3.5 goals, though both are odds-on. A 2-0 win for Lionesses in the Correct Score market could, therefore, be the way to go.

Tags

England WomenDenmark WWomen's World Cup