In the second of two all-Scandinavian friendlies ahead of Euro 2024, Denmark pit their wits against near neighbours Norway at the Brondby Stadium on Saturday evening.
Kasper Hjulmand's side bested Sweden 2-1 in midweek thanks to a returning hero, while their visitors were indebted to a regular suspect in their 3-0 defeat of Kosovo.
Match preview
© Reuters
The Premier League stars were well and truly flaunting their prowess in Denmark and Sweden's showdown in Copenhagen on Wednesday, where Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg required just two minutes to break the deadlock before a quick Alexander Isak response.
However, almost three years on since his Euro 2020 cardiac arrest rocked the sport, Christian Eriksen popped up with an emotional 86th-minute winner for his nation, who kept their unbeaten record for the year intact thanks in no small part to the Manchester United man.
Also boasting a 2-0 success over the Faroe Islands and 0-0 draw with Switzerland on their 2024 record, Denmark have certainly rectified their mistakes from their shock 2-0 loss to Northern Ireland in their closing Euro 2024 qualifying fixture, even if their place in Germany had already been assured.
Now, Hjulmand's crop have one last chance to play their way into the manager's good books before battles with England, Serbia and Slovenia in Group C take precedence, but the Denmark boss would have already submitted his final squad selection to UEFA before Saturday's fixture kicks off.
While Isak's goal did snap Denmark's incredible streak of 11 successive clean sheets in home friendlies, the Scandinavian outfit are now without defeat in 15 successive exhibition contests on home turf, and not since 2012 have they lost such a game without scoring themselves.
© Reuters
As Eriksen revelled in his last-gasp winner for Denmark in midweek, another Manchester-based player stole the show for Norway - as he so often does - as Erling Haaland single-handedly destroyed Kosovo with a landmark hat-trick at Ullevaal Stadion.
With 75 minutes on the clock, the Manchester City talisman had wrapped up another match ball with a 22nd career hat-trick - a number that none of Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe or Sergio Aguero can boast - as Norway snapped a three-game winless streak in all tournaments.
However, Haaland and co will not be gunning for European glory alongside Denmark, having only accrued 11 points from their qualification section, so all preparation is now geared towards another stint in League B of the Nations League alongside Kazakhstan, Austria and Slovenia.
The Lions do arrive in Copenhagen riding high on a three-match winning streak in away friendlies, although only one of those successes has come under the wing of current boss Stale Solbakken, a 2-1 beating of the Republic of Ireland in November 2022.
In fact, Solbakken was in the Norway XI when his nation last achieved success over Denmark in a 2000 Nordic Championships clash, since when the Lions have gone winless in five against their hosts, most recently succumbing to a 2-1 loss in a 2013 friendly.
Team News
© Reuters
By virtue of striking the winning goal against Sweden, Eriksen now sits on a staggering 41 strikes for the national team and is also on the cusp of appearance-making history, needing just one more cap to surpass Peter Schmeichel and move into second all-time with 130.
Simon Kjaer - who leads the way, albeit not by much, with 131 caps - was an unused substitute in midweek but may now come into the equation alongside Andreas Christensen, especially as Joachim Andersen only lasted until half time in the midweek success.
Zanka - who has been called up to the squad as a standby option for Euro 2024 - replaced the Crystal Palace man for the second 45, and with a quick turnaround in store, Morten Hjulmand and Viktor Kristiansen might benefit from some necessary rotation.
As far as Norway are concerned, 22-year-old AZ Alkmaar defender David Moller Wolfe was forced off the pitch 15 minutes before full time against Kosovo, but Solbakken can call upon a Champions League finalist to replace him in Julian Ryerson.
The Borussia Dortmund man understandably did not earn any minutes against Kosovo after his unsuccessful Wembley exploits but should certainly make his case to start this one, where another Haaland hat-trick would be a historic one.
The 23-year-old's treble in midweek took him up to 30 strikes for the national team in just 32 games, three behind all-time leading men's scorer Jorgen Juve, who notched his 33 goals in 45 appearances for the Lions.
Denmark possible starting lineup:
Ronnow; Kristensen, Christensen, Kjaer; Bah, Hjulmand, Hojbjerg, Kristiansen; Eriksen; Hojlund, Dolberg
Norway possible starting lineup:
Nyland; Ryerson, Gundersen, Ostigard, Ajer; Thorstvedt, Berge; Bobb, Odegaard, Nusa; Haaland
We say: Denmark 2-1 Norway
Denmark have traditionally had Norway's number since the turn of the millennium, but as was the case against Sweden, their previous penchant for home clean sheets should count for little against their Haaland-inspired visitors.
It it difficult to envisage Solbakken's men penetrating the Danish brick wall more than once, though, so another narrow success should come the hosts' way in their final tune-up battle.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
