World Cup, Group C, Denmark v France as it happened: First goalless draw at Russia 2018
Updates from the teams’ final match in Group C.

France 0-0 Denmark
Scenario: France through to last 16, Denmark need a point to confirm their place.
Australia vs Peru: Socceroos need a win against Peru and hope Denmark loses against France to sneak through to the round of 16. Follow that live game here.
FT! Just be glad it’s over. That’s all one can say. Tactical draw and that jazz but surely, we could have some intent too. The 35th game of the World Cup is the 1st goalless draw of the tournament.
I never thought I'd regret watching #DENFRA over Australia vs. Peru. That was 90 minutes of my life I will never get back. France need a lot more urgency in their play if they want to be taken seriously in this World Cup pic.twitter.com/9L6cvj48vZ
— David Somers (@Dsome16) June 26, 2018
Denmark versus France is the worst game in history. Worst thing in history.
— Mostly Offline Send Email Instead (@sidin) June 26, 2018
85’: France keep knocking it around from side to side. Good spell of pressure from the men in white and blue. This also prompts the question: where was this urgency all through the first hour of the game?
82’: Another fine effort from Fekir! The substitute lets one fly from just outside the box and Schmeichel had to dive full stretch to save it. Finally, some good football on display but don’t expect it to last.
80’: Mbappe is on for France and there is still no intensity from both teams. The Danish fans are breaking into sarcastic chants of “ole” as their team enjoy a rare spell on the ball.
75’: The crowd is booing the teams now. Cornelius off, Dolberg on for Denmark. Teams going through the motions.
This is painful. Some of these players supposedly among the best on the planet? #DENFRA
— Curtinio (@Curtinio_) June 26, 2018
71’: Fekir unleashes a shot from just outside the box. It curls in and hits the side-netting. More of this please.
But Nabil Fekir is now on and just had a decent shot which hit the side-netting. That's progress. Still 0-0 71 mins #DENFRA
— Oliver Kay (@OliverKayTimes) June 26, 2018
68’: Greizmann is taken of by Deschamps. In comes Nabil Fekir for yet another substitute appearance. But can’t shake the feeling that the teams are playing at 70%.
This Denmark vs France game is the definition of dry
— keep britun british 🇬🇧 (@youngtraveIIer) June 26, 2018
59’: Change for Denmark – Sisko off, Fischer on for his first appearance in the competition. And since the play is soo boring.... we have to find other ways to entertain ourselves. Guardians of the Galaxy anyone?
guardians of the galaxy 3 #DENFRA pic.twitter.com/DmCop1NBcT
— Kaneki (@Shaykurrr) June 26, 2018
53’: Eriksen free kick from some 30 yards out causes a mild flutter as the French goalkeeper fails to collect it properly. But he recovered well.
Please don't be a 0-0 draw. Please don't be a 0-0 draw. Please don't be a 0-0 draw. #DENFRA
— Ben 🇩🇪🏴 (@BWrightSSP) June 26, 2018

49’: Denmark have not reached the knockout rounds since 2002. France making a change, Hernandez off and Mendy coming on.
46’: And the second half begins. Can’t say we are really looking forward to it. But a top spot in the group is there for the taking that could be the difference between facing Croatia or Nigeria/Argentina.
HT: One more thing to add. Not that there were many things there. Official attendance numbers are 78,011. They deserve better.
#DENFRA stat of the half:
— Erlingur #SmiteTheWorld Einarsson (@ErlingurSmites) June 26, 2018
Antoine Griezmann completed the following number of passes to his #FRA strike partner Olivier Giroud during the entire first half: pic.twitter.com/ruOfyllDl1
HT! Has to be one of the most boring first halves of football we have seen in this World Cup. We are glad it’s over. Hopefully, the second half will bring happier tidings.
First half.... #DENFRA #FifaWorldCup2018 pic.twitter.com/MphLYSMzAT
— Saverio Sparacio (@ssparacio94) June 26, 2018
#DENFRA a big dose of boring football no ones trying to win, it’s as though both teams have settled for a draw and they both progress
— Neil Carnall (@NeilCarnall) June 26, 2018
This France team is just hitting the ball around zero creativity 😒 #DENFRA
— Denzin (@Denzinoh) June 26, 2018
44’: Giroud misses a sitter – the referee’s assistance indicated off-side only after the shot was taken. But he should have hit the target at least. A great opportunity for the second string French players to make a statement but so far, there are playing a different game.
Is #DENFRA about to give us our first nil nil game🤔#WorldCup
— M'baku the real G (@omojaay20) June 26, 2018
39’: Denmark have the opportunity to cross but what do they do instead? They calmly work it back to the halfway line. This isn’t what people paid good money to watch.
If France play with both N’Zonzi and Kante, I don’t think they would concede too many goals. Very strong and compact. But they also lack creativity in attack. Haven’t even seen one chance devised by the midfield. Lucas Hernandez is the only one interested.#WorldCup #DENFRA
— Shoonchmello (@Shoonchy) June 26, 2018
37’: After the games we witnessed last night, today is incomparably dull.
Boredom. Boredom, everywhere.#DENFRA #AUSPER #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/IergdFiTNL
— Joe Black 🇿🇼 (@joeblackzw) June 26, 2018
34’: Dembele’s shot goes just wide of the goal. Slightly better from France. Just a tad bit. But Denmark would like the way it is going for the moment.

29’: Eriksen with a wonderful run into the box, he almost managed to get the last touch but good defending by Hernandez, who did just enough to put him off. We need more of this, please. It has been a nervy sort of encounter so far.
In the other game
After 21 minutes Australia 0-1 Peru: 13152 days they have had to wait between World Cup goals and the Peru fans are absolutely thrilled! A moment to cherish. Their journey to the World Cup has been one heck of a story and they deserve to celebrate. And what a goal too. Guerrero chips the ball over from the left flank to the far side where Carrillo trains his eyes on a volley and connects it sweetly.
Follow that live game here.
15’: France gets a corner and doesn’t do much with it. It’s been that kind of a game. Both teams seem a little unsure. Should they attack? Should they defend? Should they play for a draw and get through this game without much ado?
8’: It’s been an even contest so far. But no real chances for either squad. If nothing else, Denmark seem to have an edge going forward.
#DENFRA is OK, but when Sweden play them the scoreboard reads #SWEDEN and the leftover letters are DENMARK. pic.twitter.com/muWiOmaM6U
— Sam Homewood (@SamHomewood) June 26, 2018
1’: National anthems done. We are a go! Denmark need this win (or at least a draw) to go through, France can cruise.
Head-to-head: They have played each other 15 times. France have won eight, Denmark six. The teams have played out one draw. The French have won the last three matches between the two teams.
Fun fact: France and Denmark face each other in what will be their third World Cup encounter. All three games incidentally, have been the last match of the group stages. France won in 1998 and the Danes earned their revenge four years later, when they booted out Les Blues from the 2002 World Cup.
4 - Presnel Kimpembe is only the fourth French 🇫🇷 player to get his first start with France in a World Cup 🏆 at the 21st century
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) June 26, 2018
2006 🐣 Ribéry v Switzerland
2014 🐣 Schneiderlin & Digne v Ecuador
2018 🐣 Kimpembe v Denmark
Ragging. #DENFRA #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/qscVWq9IQ8
06:33 pm: Australia’s draw against Danes kept them in contention to progress. Socceroos need a win against Peru and hope Denmark loses against France to sneak through to the round of 16.
Follow that game live here.
Australia, here is your starting XI!#GoSocceroos #WorldCup
— Socceroos (@Socceroos) June 26, 2018
⚽️️️️️️️ #AUSPER
🏟 Fisht Stadium, Sochi
⌚️️️️️️️ 12:00am AEST, 11:30pm ACST, 10pm AWST
📺 LIVE on @OptusSport and @TheWorldGame pic.twitter.com/vQkOFxWZJa
06:27 pm: For those wondering, Raphael Varane is the captain for France tonight in the absence of Lloris.
Meanwhile, away from this World Cup, more good news from the ongoing Junior Shooting World Cup.
JUST IN
— The Field (@thefield_in) June 26, 2018
India's Saurabh Chaudhary wins the gold in 10m air pistol at the #ISSFJuniorWorldCup with a junior world record score of 243.7 pic.twitter.com/5QJouEgMBr
06:22 pm: We’ll talk about those team changes in a bit... but let’s take a look back at France’s campaign so far.
Les Bleus have been unconvincing in their two matches thus far, but Kylian Mbappe’s historic goal against Peru was enough to send them through to the Round of 16.
The 1998 champions won 1-0 over Peru but questions over Antoine Griezmann and his form remain. The South Americans pushed Didier Deschamps’ men all the way back into their own half as the midfield struggled to cope with pace. The selection of Blaise Matuidi in that match was a baffling one.
Deschamps appears lost, not able to settle on his best eleven or his tactics. He’s a former World Cup winner himself, but the coach should be doing better with the resources at his disposal.
06:15 pm: AHOY, the lineups are in. Changes for France, as you’d expect. Nzonzi, Sidibe, Lemar, Dembele start as does Mandanda in goal.
(Graphic: @FIFAWorldCup)

06:10: The other match in the group is Peru vs Australia. Here’s how Group C stands as of now.

06:05 pm: A quite magnificent statistical quirk to start things off for you.
1998:
— Daniel Storey (@danielstorey85) June 26, 2018
Denmark vs France.
Final Group C match at World Cup.
Denmark won first game 1-0.
Denmark drew second game 1-1.
Schmeichel in goal.
2018
Denmark vs France.
Final Group C match at World Cup.
Denmark won first game 1-0.
Denmark drew second game 1-1.
Schmeichel in goal.
06:00 pm: Hello all and welcome to The Field’s live blog of the Group C encounter between Denmark and France – with frequent updates from the other match in the group between Australia and Peru as well. France are through to the round of 16 but *Australia could still sneak past Denmark. Expectations are that Denmark would be the second team but it’s not a given.
Clarification: The article originally said any of the other *three teams could go through apart from France. Peru have been eliminated. This has now been corrected.