Denmark VS Republic of Ireland Match Prediction
2018-11-19
19:45:00
Denmark
VS
Republic of Ireland
Our Prediction Tip
Denmark will win this match.
2018-11-1919:45:00 Denmark will win this match.
The draw in Dublin last month was the seventh in 16 previous matches between Denmark and the Republic of Ireland. Denmark have won five of the other nine and the Irish four. Denmark’s last win, of course, was in the World Cup play-off last year, when Christian Eriksen scored a hat-trick in a 5-1 Danish win in Dublin to seal a place in Russia. The first leg, just like last month’s match, had ended in a goalless draw.
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Republic of Ireland have failed to score in their last three matches and, while they held Denmark to a goalless draw last month, they know the Danes had injury problems at the time.
The return of Christian Eriksen in attacking midfield and Thomas Delaney behind him are both huge boosts, while Nicolai Jorgensen has recaptured some of his best goalscoring form and Kasper Dolberg has been firing this season with seven goals in 13 games in all competitions for Ajax.
The Republic, on the other hand, have been hit by injury to Shane Long and look toothless in attack - their policy of packing the midfield makes them hard to break down but they do not have an outlet for their attacking play.
Denmark’s 5-1 win in Dublin started the current rot for the Irish – the crushing blow of missing the World Cup with such a heavy home defeat taking a long time to lift.
Eriksen was the star man that day and his return to fitness, much sooner than Aage Hareide had initially feared, is a big boost.
He will be key to the Danes again, and with plenty of creativity from behind him he can break down the stubborn Irish defence.
At the other end, as well as Ireland lacking goals, Denmark are on a run of six consecutive home clean sheets.
The Republic of Ireland are among the teams who have failed to score in Denmark in that time and it is difficult to see where an Irish goal will come from if they are to break that run.
Realistically, Denmark should be winning this game and they should win it to nil to sign off the UEFA Nations League campaign with a home win.
Denmark can sign off their UEFA Nations League with a home win and maintain their impressive run of home clean sheets in the process too.
Simon Kjaer and Viktor Fischer are absent, but Christian Eriksen – their hat-trick hero against Ireland in the World Cup play-offs – is back for Denmark. Nicolai Jorgensen, Thomas Delaney and Andreas Bjelland are also back after missing out last month.
Christian Eriksen – The hat-trick hero in the World Cup play-off in Dublin – he was missed when the teams met last month.
Nicolai Jorgensen – Scored a hat-trick against ADO Den Haag in the Dutch cup and will hope to kick on to recapture his prolific form of two seasons ago.
Thomas Delaney – Borussia Dortmund central midfielder won man of the match when the two teams met last month.
Denmark had lost just two matches since 2016 prior to Friday’s match in Cardiff against Wales – one of those defeats was on penalties against Croatia at the World Cup and the other was with the scratch team of amateurs and futsal players that lost to Slovakia in September. Christian Eriksen led the return with two goals in a 2-0 win against Wales before a goalless draw against Republic of Ireland last month. That draw was followed by a 2-0 win against Austria, with Lukas Lerager and Martin Braithwaite scoring.
Michael Obafemi has committed his future to the Republic of Ireland and could feature from the bench to seal his switch to Irish nationality by making his competitive debut – he was unused in the draw with Northern Ireland last time out. Also set to return from the bench could be Harry Arter in midfield, after he was rested for the friendly – he or Conor Hourihane could slot in for Glenn Whelan, who made his 85th and final Republic of Ireland appearance in that game. Shane Long is out injured, and Callum Robinson started up front in his place last time out.
Callum Robinson – The Preston striker has scored eight goals in a struggling Championship team this season and Long’s absence gives him the chance to lead the line.
Harry Arter – Rested for the friendly against Northern Ireland but the Bournemouth man is likely to return against Denmark to add creativity in midfield.
Seamus Coleman – After such a long injury absence, there is no question the Irish captain’s return has been a timely boost for the national team.
The goalless draw with Northern Ireland last time out means Republic of Ireland have won just one of their last ten matches and drawn three of the last five. They started their UEFA Nations League campaign with a heavy 4-1 defeat to Wales – Shaun Williams scoring the consolation goal – and that was followed by a 1-1 draw with Poland as Aiden O’Brien netted. They have not scored since, however, with goalless draws with Denmark and Northern Ireland sandwiching last month’s 1-0 loss to Wales.
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