- Denmark arrive having reached the Euro 2020 semi-finals and recently twice beating France 
- Tunisia qualified in unconvincing style and were poor at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations 
- Recommended bet: Denmark to win to nil

Denmark look genuine dark horses for World Cup glory having recently impressed at Euro 2020 before following up with home and away wins over France in this year’s Nations League campaign.

Kasper Hjulmand’s side will be looking to again upset the French in World Cup Group D — with top spot a huge prize given it will likely mean avoiding Argentina in the round of 16 — and they will also want to win handsomely in their two games against the lesser sides in case it comes down to goal difference.

Tunisia will see this match as their big chance to try and sneak through into the knockout stages, hoping to nick a result off Denmark and see off Australia to follow the French into the round of 16.

But that would be to underestimate a seriously impressive Danish side who have plenty of recent experience in rising from adversity.

Team news

Hjulmand has a nearly fully-fit squad to choose from, but there are slight doubts about the fitness of centre-back Andreas Christensen, back-up goalkeeper Frederik Ronnow and forward Jonas Wind, who have all missed domestic matches recently through injury.

Tunisia will be without defender Omar Rekik, who misses the tournament through injury, while midfielder Ellyes Skhiri will play in a protective mask after breaking his cheekbone last month.

The stats

Denmark cruised through qualifying, scoring 30 goals and conceding just one as they won their first nine games to secure their place in Qatar.

They did lose their final group-stage match against Scotland but only after confirming top spot and in the absence of key men such as Christian Eriksen and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

The Danes were also without the stricken Eriksen for most of Euro 2020 after the Manchester United midfielder collapsed with a heart attack during their opening encounter against Finland.

Denmark recovered to beat Russia in their final group game and followed up with knockout round victories over Wales and the Czech Republic before bowing out in unfortunate style in the semi-final, losing to hosts England in extra-time due to a dubious penalty-kick award.

Tunisia were less than impressive in qualifying for the World Cup, benefitting from arguably the easiest possible draw but still making hard work of it.

The Eagles of Carthage were drawn alongside Equatorial Guinea, Zambia and Mauritania in the group stage but still had to wait until the final day to confirm their qualification to the play-off round after losing 1-0 in Equatorial Guinea and drawing 0-0 in Mauritania.

They were also fortunate in their play-off round draw, getting a poor Mali side, but they still needed an own-goal to secure their passage through 1-0 on aggregate.

Prediction

While the north African side have plenty of World Cup pedigree, pushing England hard in a 2-1 group stage defeat and beating Panama in Russia four years ago, Tunisia are among the weakest teams in Qatar.

Their qualifying performances were underwhelming and at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations they only escaped the group stage as one of the better third-placed sides having lost to Mali and Gambia but beating minnows Mauritania.

A Denmark side who have lost only to heavy-hitters England, Croatia and the Netherlands — and Scotland but when heavily rotated and already qualified — in their last 19 matches, winning the rest, will fancy themselves to comfortably dispatch Tunisia.

Backing Denmark to win to nil at 19/20 with LiveScore Bet looks a solid way to go and adding talisman Eriksen to any BetBuilder selection makes sense with the Manchester United man key to their attacking thrust.

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