- Recent form: Denmark are playing on the back of a dominant performance in their World Cup play-off semi-final.
- Team profile: Czech Republic are a tough, compact and disciplined side who showed their mentality in the penalty shoot-out win over Republic of Ireland.
Czechia can keep it tight against Danes
Czech Republic and Denmark could produce another exciting showdown when they clash in the one-off World Cup playoff final on Tuesday as they seek to add another chapter to their rivalry. Czechia have beaten Denmark 3-0 in the quarter-finals of Euro 2004 while the Danes got the better of the Czech side 2-1 at the last Euros in a knock-out phase game.
The stakes are certainly as high as any of those games with only one of these sides making it to the World Cup, but Denmark appear to have the upper hand after storming through the semi-final against North Macedonia. It was a 4-0 win that showed the Danes have attacking options in Kasper Dolberg and Joakim Mæhle, while their 4-2-3-1 shape is extremely disciplined.
Denmark have attacking momentum
Czech defensive setup
Czech Republic have shown some defensive discipline and mentality of their own in their semi-final against the Republic of Ireland, holding on for a 2-2 draw. They then won the penalty shootout 4-3 to get to this stage.
Miroslav Koubek’s side have been compact and pragmatic and are likely to set up in a way that is designed to be difficult to break down. They can be a threat on counter-attacks with Patrik Schick and have some good late runners from midfield, but they are not a side that will push the pace or create a lot of open space for their opponents.
Denmark attacking strengths
And that could be a problem against Denmark, who are a team that are very comfortable in their 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1, switching between the two depending on the game. They are defensively disciplined and have real vertical transitions in their attacking play and have a bunch of players who can score goals.
- It was a 4-0 win that showed the Danes have attacking options in Kasper Dolberg and Joakim Mæhle, while their 4-2-3-1 shape is extremely disciplined.
- They are defensively disciplined and have real vertical transitions in their attacking play and have a bunch of players who can score goals.
- Christian Eriksen is the beating heart of this side, providing goals and assists in recent international campaigns.
Danes can edge close game
Czech Republic have a good record against the Danes, who they beat 3-0 at Euro 2004, but Denmark won 3-0 in World Cup qualifying and the sides have played out a couple of close draws since then. So the head-to-head record is mixed and this will be another close game.
But Denmark are the stronger side, as indicated by their dominant performance against North Macedonia last week and the fact that the bookmakers have them at 2.0 favourites to book their spot for the World Cup while Czech Republic are 3.85. The odds on goals markets, with Under 2.5 coming in at 1.7, are probably about right given the two sides’ recent form and the defensive strength each brings. But we will edge towards Denmark to edge the game in 90 minutes as they have the better form and should be hungry for the win more after their semi-final showing.
Koubek’s men have the mentality to make it tough
Koubek’s team are a disciplined and pragmatic unit that will be well organised and make it difficult for the more favourable Danes, who will be eager to finish the job they started in the semi-finals. Christian Eriksen is the beating heart of this side, providing goals and assists in recent international campaigns.
But this is a team effort with the pace of Dolberg and Mæhle, who showed their clinical nature in the 4 - 0 semi-final win, offering Denmark multiple attacking threats. Tomáš Souček will be important to Czechia’s hopes as he is the physical presence in central midfield who will get the second balls and dictate the tempo of the transitions, so back him to get on the scoresheet in what should be a tight game.
