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Former Socceroo Robbie Slater is absolutely buzzing at the current crop’s success in Qatar, with Australia picking up just its third-ever World Cup victory in 18 attempts.
Now, attention turns to Denmark (Thursday 2am AEDT), where a win – and potentially a draw – will secure a berth in the Round of 16 for the second time (after Germany 2006).
Slater knows the Danes will present “a massive task”, but he told the Fox Football Podcast: “I don’t know about you guys, I’ve just got this feeling that maybe we’re about to see something very special.”
After a long and arduous road to Qatar – where reaching a fifth-straight World Cup final looked extremely unlikely at times – the Socceroos now stand on the brink of something ‘quite extraordinary’.
Slater says: “It was so unimaginable, when you go back to that last game when we looked deflated against Saudi Arabia in the qualifiers, and Japan here at home – to think we’re on the cusp of something like this is quite extraordinary really, and a great story.”
Listen to the podcast below and read on for Slater’s breakdown of the upcoming match!
After reigning champions France showed their class in a comfortable 4-1 win over the Socceroos, Graham Arnold’s men rebounded in impressive fashion to see out world No. 30 Tunisia 1-0.
But Slater is predicting an even more brutal battle with the world No. 10 side.
“Denmark is a massive task. It’s a very, very difficult task when you look at the two teams.
“I’ve watched Denmark’s two games (against) Tunisia and France, and they were a bit unlucky in both.”
“Their structure, their passing is superb. (Brentford attacker Mikkel) Damsgaard is a wonderful player. Their wingers are fast and direct, and (Manchester United’s Christian) Eriksen is the conductor.”
“We’ve got to put it again in perspective,” he adds. “Denmark are a top ten ranked team, they have wonderful players playing in the best leagues in Europe. They’ve got a certain Christian Eriksen who’s a magician.”
In 2018, the Socceroos and Denmark drew 1-1, with Denmark subsequently reaching the Round of 16 only to fall on penalties to eventual runners-up Croatia.
This time around, the Danes go into the final match-day of the group stage needing to beat the Socceroos to earn a place in the knockouts.
Slater says: “That puts them under pressure … the worst thing they can do is panic. The best thing for us is the longer we can go without them (scoring), the more frustrated and panicked they’re going to become.
“The worst case scenario for us is if they get an early goal, then it all changes.”
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Meanwhile, Australia will also go through with a draw, so long as Tunisia does not stun France. The reigning champions have already secured qualification thanks to consecutive group stage wins, giving them the opportunity to rest star players for the knockouts.
While Slater is predicting France will see off Tunisia, the “worst thing” the Socceroos can do is expect that to happen and chase a draw with Denmark.
“It’s hard to see Tunisia beating France. France won’t want to get beaten by (Tunisia). They have a big connection. They speak French in Tunisia. There’s a lot of Tunisians that play in France. That’s a big brother – little brother game. If we take it that Tunisia don’t win, then we need the draw.
“But it’s dangerous. You can’t go playing for a draw. That’d be the worst thing to do because you’re likely to get beaten. You can invite pressure. I think you just play the same way we did against Tunisia. Try and find that energy to do it again.”
Graham Arnold delivered a ‘tactical masterpiece’ against Tunisia, Slater says. But Denmark poses a vastly different threat.
“How can they be beaten? I think you only have to look at what they’ve done so far, what France and Tunisia did. So maybe it’s a bit of the same as what we did against Tunisia,” Slater says.
“It’s not going to be (the same) though, because they’ve got different players. I think Denmark will be good enough to play around us if we press continually the way we did against Tunisia.”
And he delivered a stern warning to the Australians.
“One thing you have to do is stay compact. So if you’re moving up and down the pitch it’s got to be together. If you get stretched against Denmark they’ll kill us like France did.
“One of the things that stood out against France was one-v-ones. You’re talking about Mbappe and Dembele, but they killed us. Their wingers, Denmark, are very good as well. I think (centre-backs Harry) Souttar and (Kye) Rowles become very crucial in covering their fullbacks when the ball goes down one side or the other.”
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Slater joked that, were he in Arnold’s shoes, his first act would be a simple one: “Pray.”
And despite predicting a long, tough battle, Slater believes ‘something quite special’ will happen.
“Pain. It’s going to be painful. It’s going to be long. And I hope at the end of it, I hope it’s something quite special. But it’s going to be tough. You look at Denmark and the team they have, they know it’s their last chance … they go in knowing they have to win.
“By and large top ten nations, when they need to win, they can win. And that’s the danger for us – if they play at their top level. That’s what we’ve got to try and not allow them to do. That comes right back to the beginning, of our mentality, our fighting spirit, and upsetting them.”
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