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Group A runner-up Wales and Group B runner-up Denmark will clash at the Amsterdam Arena in the Netherlands to kick off the ‘Round of 16’ of the 2020 UEFA European Championship.
Wales started their Euro 2020 campaign with a scratchy 1-1 draw against Switzerland and followed it up with a refreshing 2-0 win over Turkey powered by skipper Gareth Bale. The Dragons ended their group stage on a bad note as they lost 1-0 to group winners Italy.
On the other hand, the Danes started the tournament on the worst note, with key player Christian Eriksen suffering a cardiac arrest during the 1-0 loss to Finland. After a 2-1 loss to table-toppers Belgium, Denmark defeated Russia 4-1 and qualified for 16 due to their superior goal difference.
The match promises to be an exciting affair, with the last ten matches between the two teams producing zero draws. Denmark have the upper hand in the head-to-head record as they have six wins compared to only 4 Welsh wins.
Team News
Wales stand-in manager Rob Page would not be able to bank on the services of Ethan Ampadu after the 20-year old was sent off in the second half of the 1-0 loss against Italy. With the manager expected to revert to a back-four against Denmark, striker Kieffer Moore is mooted to be a sure-starter as the lone striker in the starting XI.
Denmark has most of their squad available and fit to start the clash against Wales, with Eriksen the only expected absentee due to medical reasons. The Danish manager Kasper Hjulmand is expected to field the same XI that defeated Russia 4-1 with OGC Nice forward Kasper Dolberg, one of the key substitutes at the coach’s service.
Key Players
Aaron Ramsey was an influential figure in the Welsh squad that made it to the semi-finals of the Euro 2016 campaign defeating teams like Belgium and Russia before losing to eventual champions Portugal in the semi-final. The Juventus midfielder has struggled to find form in the current tournament, but the 30-year old is expected to come good against Denmark.
Ben Davies is also expected to return to the starting XI after missing the Italy clash with youngster Neco Williams taking his place in the team. The Tottenham Hotspurs player is a key figure for the Dragons on the left side of the defence.
Denmark defender Andreas Christensen sent the ball in the back of the net like a rocket against Russia apart from being a rack at the back for the Danes. The Chelsea defender is a key figure in the 3-man Denmark defence along with Simon Kjaer and the towering figure of Jannik Vestergaard.
Forward Yussuf Poulsen is the top goalscorer for Denmark in Euros 2020 with two goals to his name, and the RB Leipzig forward can come good in the knockout stages as well.
Prediction
With a place in the quarter-finals at stake, big-match players like Bale and Ramsey, coupled with the promise of Daniel James and Harry Wilson, could create ripples in the Danish defence and steal the win on Saturday.
Denmark comes into the Round of 16 on the back of a single win in the group stage, but Hjulmand’s team has the momentum on their side as they won their last group match. With the talent of Mikkel Damsgaard and Yussuf Poulsen at hand, Denmark can breach the Wales defense in the first ‘Round of 16’ clash.
