WORLD CUP SOCCER: SOCCEROOS REGROUP AS DANES AWAIT

DANISH midfield linchpin Thomas Delaney knows he will be facing a fired-up Australia when the two teams clash on Thursday, with the fate of the Socceroos’ World Cup campaign now hanging on the game.

“We know for Australia it’s the most important game in the group for them to get three points from us,’’ Delaney said.

Denmark has retreated to the Black Sea resort town of Anapa to prepare for the game after escaping Saransk on Sunday with a fortuitous 1-0 win against an unlucky Peru.

Delaney watched Australia’s opening-game defeat by France and was impressed by what he saw but expects a contrast to the rapid-fire game played by Peru and its “speed and technical quality’’.

“I see Australia a little bit more like us,’’ he said. “They have this European approach where they want to play football but they are still big guys.’’

He said Denmark would be similarly approaching the game at full tilt, knowing a win will almost certainly mean qualification for the Danes.

“We had a good start, point wise, so we go full ahead for that win,’’ he said.

Delaney is expecting a crash course in learning more about Australian strengths and weaknesses this week from Denmark’s coach Age Hareid.

He said he was familiar with Australian midfield heartbeat Aaron Mooy because he watched Huddersfield games, where his Danish teammates Mathias Jorgensen and Jonas Lossl play.

He also mentioned captain Mile Jedinak and played against Mat Ryan in the Champions League in 2014 when the keeper was at Club Brugge and the Dane was playing for FC Copenhagen.

In what could be a good omen for Australia, Ryan prevailed on that occasion and Delaney remembers a “quick keeper who is good with the feet’’.

Delaney who after the World Cup will complete a $31 million transfer from Werder Bremen to Borussia Dortmund, is a key cog in the Danish machine, playing as one of two holding midfielders, albeit a goal threat as well with his ability to strike the ball from distance.

However, his usual midfield partner William Kvist, who started against Peru, is likely to be out of the World Cup after breaking a rib in a challenge with Jefferson Farfan in Sunday’s game.

In better news, Chelsea’s Andreas Christensen is likely to be fit to play against Australia after being taken off with cramp against Peru.

Delaney predicts a better performance by the Danes against Australia.