Forget any celebration plans for the Matildas on Monday night time – Denmark could have its personal ‘party’ after knocking Australia out of the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
That’s the assumption of the Danes’ assured coach Lars Sondergaard, whose group has no intention of exiting the match on the round-of-16 stage at Stadium Australia.
“We’re going to have our own party if we succeed in ruining a party, and that part is fine for me,” Sondergaard mentioned.
“Of course it’s going to be a difficult game but we see chances, and we’re living in this dream and we want to continue living there as long as possible, even until the final day of the tournament.
“As a small country as well, we’re used to being underdogs when we play against the big nations.
“Australia as a home team with a lot of spectators behind them could be said to be favourites and we’re fine with it.
“We want to surprise against them, and we also think – that’s the most important thing – that we can do it.”
The Danes completed second of their group behind European champions, however have solely conceded one objective of their three earlier matches on the match.
Breaking down the Scandinavians is a problem that the Matildas’ Sweden-born coach Tony Gustavsson acknowledges shall be robust.
“I’m very, very impressed with how they’ve performed,” Gustavsson mentioned.
“They’re extremely organised. You can see it’s a team that plays for each other.
“They’re a good pressing team that works really hard at defence. They’re really good on the break, and if you look at where their players play, they have tons of players at top clubs and top leagues in Europe, and most of them play in teams that play very passing-oriented, attacking football.
“And then finally their wider game, their crossing game has been phenomenal, and then add set pieces to that … so we need to be extremely humble and realise that we need to focus in every single second of the game and be as solid defensively as we we’re against Canada.”
The Matildas thrashed the Canadians 4-0 in Melbourne final Monday to safe prime spot in Group B.
While extra was anticipated of a Canada group that gained gold on the Tokyo Olympics, Australia’s efficiency within the must-win affair has raised expectations concerning the Matildas’ hopes of being topped world champions on August 20.
Gustavsson was adamant his group would once more rise to the event towards Denmark regardless of solutions the Matildas had already performed their “final”.
“It’s about putting the right player in the right position in the right mindset, and we got that right against Canada,” he mentioned.
“Doing the same against Denmark is going to be key because it is about the mindset … not looking at the Canada game as a final because it was just the start of something.
“This is the start of the playoffs. We’re not going into the end of something, we’re going into the start of something, and that mindset is key for us.”
Gustavsson was set to satisfy with the Matildas’ medical employees on Sunday night time to plot a taking part in plan for captain Sam Kerr, who’s but to play within the match resulting from a calf harm that continues to stop her coaching absolutely with the group.
Originally printed as Denmark prepared to interrupt Aussie hearts in do-or-die FIFA Women’s World Cup battle
Source: www.dailytelegraph.com.au
