JEERS FOR SOUVENIRS AFTER NO-SCORE BORE
We know how you feel, Kasper, we watched it!
PERHAPS we should be grateful for the fact we had to wait 37 matches for the arrival of this World Cup’s first goalless draw. This was a game so drab and spiritless that it was tempting to look at FIFA’s rule book to see if there was any way we could send both France and Denmark home.
The whistles and jeers at the end almost drowned out the stadium music. But thankfully we haven’t seen much like this in Russia 2018. It was the longest a World Cup had gone without a goalless game since 1954, which had none.
The problem? France had already qualified and Denmark knew a draw would be enough to join them in the last 16, even if Australia had managed to beat Peru almost a thousand miles away in Sochi. The Socceroos lost 2-0.
Both sides knew a draw would leave them in the top two places in another group where it was hard to work out whether first was any more use than second.
Nobody pushed for victory, nobody seemed too keen to inconvenience anybody else very much. Before the game there had been some verbal back and forth between the coaches but that was as far as it got.
Denmark coach Age Hareide was in no mood to apologise for his side’s approach. ‘We were up against one of the best counter-attacking teams in the world and we would have been stupid if we opened up.’ he said. ‘We played to get the result and we did it. Our goal was to come here and progress to the last 16.’
His France counterpart Didier Deschamps agreed. ‘It was our objective to ensure we were first out of the group... that objective was achieved.’
The French attitude was clear as soon as we saw their team sheet. Six changes. No Paul Pogba. Their two front-line strikers Antoine Griezmann and Olivier Giroud did play but barely exchanged a pass or a look.
‘I made a lot of changes,’ admitted Deschamps. ‘That hurts the cohesion a bit but it’s good the whole squad feels involved.’
Denmark need Christian Eriksen to fire if they are to play well but this was a quiet day for the Tottenham man.
There was an early flurry of activity. France defender Presnel Kimpembe tackled Denmark’s Martin Braithwaite clumsily in the box and could easily have conceded a penalty.
Eriksen then just didn’t quite have the legs to reach an inviting low cross from Andreas Cornelius which came at the end of a sweeping move by Denmark.
For France, Chelsea’s Giroud belted two chances over the bar in the first period.
In the second half, France reserve goalkeeper Steve Mandanda spilled a low shot and Eriksen was almost on to it.
Then, following his introduction as a sub, Lyon’s Nabil Fekir struck two shots with intent for France.
The Liverpool target’s first effort found the side netting and the other was pushed aside by Denmark goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel.
And that was it really for Group C as Peru and Australia now set off for home.
As the crowd left the Luzhniki Stadium, the DJ played Robbie Williams singing Let Me Entertain
You. It seems they do sarcasm in Russia, too.