The two heavyweights from Group D go head-to-head at Stadium 974 as defending champions France take on nemesis Denmark in a match that could a long way toward defining the team that tops the group.
Much has been made of Denmark’s two previous victories in the UEFA Nations League against the French — 2-0 in September and 2-1 in March — but the Danes had a tough time first up at this World Cup against unfancied Tunisia in their opener.
France looked every bit the world champions they are, despite going down a goal to Australia. Kylian Mbappe showed his ability to take over matches, and Olivier Giroud’s two goals were a sign that the French might just be able to overcome the loss of Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema, one of several players on France’s lengthy injury list.
The Sporting News is tracking live scoring updates and highlights for France vs Denmark at the 2022 World Cup. Follow below for complete results from the Group D match in Qatar.
MORE: How to bet France vs. Denmark
France vs Denmark live score
1H | 2H | Final | |
France | 1 | 0 | — |
Denmark | 0 | 0 | — |
Goals:
61st min — FRA — Kylian Mbappe
Confirmed lineups:
France (4-2-3-1, right to left): . Lloris (GK) – 5. Kounde, 4. Varane, 18. Upamecano, 22. T. Hernandez – 8. Tchouameni, 14. Rabiot – 11. Dembele, 7. Griezmann, 10. Mbappe – 9. Giroud
Denmark (3-4-3, right to left): 1. Schmeichel (GK) – 2. Andersen, 3. Nelsson, 6. A. Christensen – 5. Maehle, 23. Hojbjerg, 10. Eriksen, 13. Kristensen — 14 Damsgaard, 21. Cornelius, 25 Lindstrom.
MORE: Watch every World Cup match live with fuboTV (U.S.-only free trial)
LIVE Group D table, standings
Team | PTS | GP | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. France | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | +4 |
2. Australia | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | -2 |
3. Denmark | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 |
4. Tunisia | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 |
France vs Denmark live updates, highlights from 2022 World Cup
France vs. Denmark: Second half
61st min: GOAL! France! Well, it sure had been coming, and now France finally have their deserved lead. It’s Kylian Mbappe who plays a brilliant one-two with Griezmann down the left edge of the penalty area. Mbappe’s effort is threaded perfectly through two defenders in an extremely tight window, and Schmeichel is screened and can’t help.
Immediately after the goal, Deschamps replaces Olivier Giroud, with Marcus Thuram coming on in his place.
60th min: Chance, France! How have France not scored yet?! Now it’s Griezmann with a horrid miss! He’s through on goal on the penalty spot, but he skies the chance! That has to be the opening goal!
57th min: Chance, France! Mbappe has a shot saved by Schmeichel! He absolutely torches a defender and then turns another to create space, but his effort at the near post is from too tight an angle to trouble the goalkeeper, who stands tall and becomes a wall. The ensuing corner is cleared.
Watch in the USA:
This run by Mbappé 😤 pic.twitter.com/dhOxgHXPhR
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) November 26, 2022
Watch in Canada:
Kylian Mbappé shows off his speed, but Kasper Schmeichel is up to the task! #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/Pp0g4zpQGR
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) November 26, 2022
54th min: Schmeichel comes way out off his line to reach a ball from deep before Mbappe can get to it. He’s 15 yards out of his penalty area by the time he gets there and clears. Great performance today from the Denmark goalkeeper and de facto captain.
50th min: Mbappe starts a break and gets space around two defenders to feed Dembele in the penalty area. The Barcelona winger loops it back over defenders for Mbappe on the one-two, but Schmeichel comes out to claim before Mbappe can get to the bobbling ball in front of goal.
46th min: Back under way for the second half, with one change for Denmark as former Barcelona striker Martin Brathwaite comes on up front for the yellow carded Andreas Cornelius. No changes for France, understandably, as they were by far the better side in the first half.
HALFTIME: France 0-0 Denmark
Halftime: Shocking stat here from Opta, who claims that the 13 shots from France in that first half were their most ever at halftime without scoring at a major tournament, at least as far as their data dates back to in 1966.
13 – La France compte 13 tirs face au Danemark ce soir, son record sans marquer à la mi-temps d’un match de Coupe du Monde + EURO depuis qu’Opta dispose de ces données (1966). Conteneur. #FRADAN pic.twitter.com/5uyIgPS6qj
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) November 26, 2022
Halftime whistle: That half had everything BUT goals. France dominated for the most part, but Denmark stood tall to the task…barely.
On the other end, Denmark had a few half-chances, but it was mostly one way traffic. That’s reflected by the expected goals tally, with France collecting 0.95 xG on 13 shots, while Denmark had just two efforts for 0.05 xG. Kasper Schmeichel has done quite well to keep the scoreline level.
France’s double-pivot, Tchouameni – Rabiot, havn’t misplaced a single pass this half. Tchou’s step-ups have been good.
— Kiyan Sobhani (@KiyanSo) November 26, 2022
No separating France & Denmark at the break 🇫🇷🤝🇩🇰#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/szj93iCazJ
— LiveScore (@livescore) November 26, 2022
France vs. Denmark: First half
45+3 min: Weird moment as Kylian Mbappe’s fizzed shot on goal hits Olivier Giroud in the head.
43rd min: Yellow card for Jules Kounde who steps on the ankle of Denmark center-back Victor Nelsson, who is in pain and needs treatment.
40th min: Chance, France! A BAD MISS FROM MBAPPE! France again break through Dembele down the right, and the Barcelona attacker serves a perfect cut-back from the byline to Mbappe right on the penalty spot. The PSG attacker has been good thus far, but he skies his effort miles over the crossbar. The goal was gaping…
39th min: OOF Cornelius produces a highlight reel play as he nutmegs Theo Hernandez. Denmark not backing down from the defending champs!
Watch in the USA:
Got ’em 🔥 pic.twitter.com/sX6sRiSMO3
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) November 26, 2022
Watch in Canada:
🚨 Nutmeg alert! 🚨#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/gxeZP1XHZV
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) November 26, 2022
36th min: Denmark decide to play with pace on the counter, and it works their best chance of the half, but Cornelius’s shot is into the side netting from a tight angle. Lloris looked unsettled on the chance, caught a little high and having to track back into position, but no bother.
Watch in Canada:
Denmark can’t quite capitalize on their first attempt of the match!#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/5nLUhLe42K
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) November 26, 2022
34th min: Denmark are hanging on by the skin of their teeth. Another attacking move with pace sees Schmeichel needed for a kick-save on Griezmann’s driven cross along the face of goal. There are a few follow-up attempts for France attackers in the penalty area, but they’re blocked. Denmark defenders putting their bodies on the line, and that’s the only thing that has kept France out.
Watch in the UK:
France are throwing all they can at the Denmark goal but no give so far…
Will they be able to find a breakthrough? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/kUvxxlqAV5
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) November 26, 2022
30th min: Chance, France! Kylian Mbappe weaves his way into space down the left, and his ball across the penalty area is too strong, but it comes to Jules Kounde all alone on the far side, with the defense having shaded towards the danger of Mbappe. Kounde lets fly, and the far-post effort seems to have beaten Schmeichel, but it’s blocked by a defender before it finds the back of the net.
Watch in the USA:
Watch out when Mbappé is on the ball 😤
He sets up another big chance for France pic.twitter.com/xuuiaL1rR8
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) November 26, 2022
29th min: Denmark have a long spell of possession, thanks in part to a mistake by Hugo Lloris on the ball, but they provide very little danger in front of the France goal. They’re trying to slow things down and smother the France counter, but it’s coming at the cost of their attacking presence.
While I understand Denmark’s reluctance to play themselves into stretched transitional game that benefits Mbappe & Dembélé, their reluctance to speed up play & quickly change point of attack, is making it too easy for France, defensively. They need to stretch that narrow block.
— Eric Krakauer (@EricKrakauer) November 26, 2022
21st min: Chance, France! WHAT A SAVE by Schmeichel! It’s a sensational stop as Adrien Rabiot delivered a vicious header off another Dembele delivery. France very unlucky not to open the scoring.
Moments later, Denmark have another yellow card, shown to Andreas Cornelius as he hacks down Giroud in the middle third. That’s two early cautions for Denmark, who will need to be careful moving forward.
No goals yet with more than 30 minutes played.
France 0-0 Denmark#CitiSports #Qatar2022 #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/GWJLcmM2F8
— Citi Sports (@CitiSportsGHA) November 26, 2022
Watch in the USA:
SCHMEICHEL SAVE
He makes his first big save of the day for Denmark 🔒 pic.twitter.com/xgbLjboQ4B
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) November 26, 2022
20th min: YELLOW CARD for Andreas Christensen, and the Barcelona center-back may consider himself a lucky man, because he yanked Mbappe down on the counter. It has serious potential for a last man foul and a red for Christensen, but there are two defenders flanking Mbappe on the tackle, so the official chooses the lesser evil.
Do you think Christensen was lucky to get away with just a yellow card here? #FRA | #DEN | #FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/w2d04iqpdM
— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Football__Tweet) November 26, 2022
19th min: France break through the Denmark midfield but they don’t have the numbers, and the two-on-seven chance is smothered. Denmark not in a low-block shell, and are holding possession well, but they don’t have nearly the attacking venom the defending champions do so far, and a chance of their own moments later goes away.
13th min: Chance, France! Off a free-kick, Griezmann’s ball is just over the head of Raphael Varane who got free and rose high to meet it. Then, on the ensuing corner, it’s close again at the near post, with Varane this time getting his head to it, and his flicked effort almost sneaking in the far post, but it’s cleared off the line.
This game has great energy to it on both sides!
10th min: Chance, France! Olivier Giroud has a great look on a cutback from Dembele, but he whiffs on the chance! It bobbles awkwardly up from the grass near the penalty area, and hits him in the chest, but he can’t settle and the chance goes by.
9th min: Denmark have started this match brightly, but now France building into a possessional dominance in the attacking third. Still have not yet threatened Kasper Schmeichel’s goal. The former Leicester City goalkeeper is wearing the captain’s armband in the absence of Simon Kjaer.
6th min: Look at Ousmane Dembele go! France with a beautiful move forward to get Les Bleus out of their own half, skipping around two tackles and leaving the defenders floundering on the ground. He receives the ball back at the top of the penalty area and lets a shot go, but it’s blocked.
Dembele has been brilliant so far, Maehle doesn’t seem to be able to cope. #FIFAWorldCup #Qatar2022
— patricridge (@PatricRidge) November 26, 2022
3rd min: An early chance for Denmark here as Tchouameni concedes a foul in the attacking third. The officiating crew is a Polish group, so it’s an all-European affair in this match. The free-kick is taken short and the service into the box is cleared.
1st min: The game is under way in Qatar! Can France secure a spot in the knockout stage? Or will Denmark take control of the group?
France vs. Denmark: Pre-match analysis, commentary, stats
8 mins to kickoff: France can become the first team to qualify for the 2022 World Cup knockout stage, but the three previous teams with an opportunity to do so with victory failed to grab the chance. Will the defending World Cup champs set the pace?
Can France become the first team to qualify for the KO rounds?
Netherlands, England and Saudi Arabia, the three other teams who could have qualified in two games so far have failed to do so 👀 pic.twitter.com/kc3lQtZidA
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) November 26, 2022
20 mins to kickoff: This game marks the first time France will play an opponent three times in a calendar year since 1938. They say here in America, usually in reference to the NFL, that it’s extremely difficult to beat an opponent three times in one year, no matter the opponent. We’ll see what Denmark pulls out to effort for the biggest of the three. Benching captain Kjaer is a very bold move, and one that will raise questions if this game goes belly-up.
3 – France will play their 3rd game against Denmark in 2022. This is the first time Les Bleus have played 3 matches against the same opponent in a calendar year since 1949 against Yugoslavia. Unusual. #FRADEN pic.twitter.com/osgeGLI2aw
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) November 26, 2022
40 mins to kickoff: France striker Olivier Giroud, after becoming the nation’s joint all-time leading goalscorer, gets his second straight start today against Denmark. In the absence of Karim Benzema, he will be critical to France’s chances of repeating. Yet according to reports, he barely even made the World Cup squad in the first place.
👀 “Deschamps had really really strong doubts about just taking him to Qatar”
😲 Despite equaling France’s scoring record, Giroud nearly missed out on a place in the final #Qatar2022 squad, explains @LaurensJulien — https://t.co/b8wipfMmhu#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/0xouu85b4n
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) November 26, 2022
1 hour to kickoff: Team news is in, and there’s just one surprise in the France starting lineup, as Jules Kounde replaces Benjamin Pavard at right-back. Otherwise, it’s as expected, as the only other change is at center-back, with Raphael Varane indeed coming in to claim his spot from Ibrahima Konate.
For Denmark, head coach Kasper Hjulmand has rung a host of changes, including his entire attacking trio. At the back, he’s also sat captain Simon Kjaer, which is a massive surprise against the defending champions.
1 hr 10 mins from kickoff: One interesting thing to watch will be France’s tactical setup. They deployed a traditional four-back lineup against Australia, and it was their first win in that formation since the end of the Euros. Will they go back to the well, or shift into the three-defender system that has treated them well recently?
5 – France have not won any of their five matches started with a four-man defence since the end of the last European Championship (D4 L1). Uncertainty. #FRAAUS pic.twitter.com/cK0ZAgWFA1
— OptaJean (@OptaJean) November 22, 2022
1 hr 33 mins from kickoff: If you’re looking for a window into how this match could play out, here’s my betting preview for the game. Denmark will be looking for a three-peat, but France know how important this match is.
France & Denmark meet today. Les Bleus haven’t beaten Denmark in their last 3 meetings, and lost their last World Cup matchup in 2002.
Yet #FRA are defending champs and looked ok in their opener. Can #DEN spring an upset? A preview 👇💰 #FIFAWorldCuphttps://t.co/ZrwCQkEMkx
— Kyle Bonn (@the_bonnfire) November 26, 2022
1 hr 56 mins from kickoff: France are looking for revenge against Denmark, who defeated them twice earlier this year in Nations League play. But Denmark have given them fits long before this summer. In fact, the two have almost evenly split their series — eight wins for France, seven for Denmark, and two draws across the 17 all-time meetings. Denmark also won their most recent World Cup matchup, a 2-0 victory in the 2002 World Cup that confirmed Les Bleus place in the basement of Group A.
2 hrs 30 mins from kickoff: The team news is still a way off for this one, but we already have a hint of who will be starting for France! As predicted, it looks like Varane is set to feature — although whether that shirt is on the pitch from the start or is on the bench remains to be seen!
Le vestiaire est prêt ✅👌
Coup d’envoi à 17h sur @TF1 📺🇫🇷🇩🇰 | #FRADAN | #FiersdetreBleus pic.twitter.com/9YyzJD4cYW
— Equipe de France ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) November 26, 2022
3 hrs from kickoff: For Denmark, this match will obviously be another step in the emotional return to the major stage for Christian Eriksen, after he suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch at last year’s Euro 2020 finals. You can read all about his heart-warming return to the highest levels of the game in this article written by my colleague, Patrick Brischetto.
3 hrs 30 mins from kickoff: Well France now know the task that awaits them to qualify for the knockouts, after Australia’s hard-fought 1-0 victory over Tunisia in the early match. That makes it simple for Les Bleus, win and they are the first team to officially book their spot in the last 16 of the World Cup!
4 hrs from kickoff: Manchester United center-back Raphael Varane is reportedly set to start against the Danes:
Raphaël Varane devrait faire son retour comme TITULAIRE avec les Bleus demain. 🇫🇷
(@RMCsport / @lequipe) pic.twitter.com/g427meXoH9
— Actu Foot (@ActuFoot_) November 25, 2022
4 hrs 30 mins from kickoff: Did you know that Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is of Franco-Danish heritage?
Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg avant France-Danemark : « Je suis fier d’avoir ces deux cultures »
Le milieu de Tottenham né d’un père danois et d’une mère franco-danoise, explique sa connexion avec la France alors qu’il affronte les Bleus à 17h. https://t.co/LJ8ZzcRQ0h #FRADAN pic.twitter.com/smply4F1Oz
— L’ÉQUIPE (@lequipe) November 26, 2022
5 hrs from kickoff: Much has been made of Denmark’s previous two victories against France this year. No team has defeated France three times in the SAME calendar year.
3rd June: 🇩🇰
25th September: 🇩🇰
26th November: ❓Denmark are trying to become the first nation in history to beat France 𝙏𝙃𝙍𝙀𝙀 times in a calendar year 😲 pic.twitter.com/bHywCY0eFQ
— LiveScore (@livescore) November 26, 2022
France vs. Denmark lineups, team news
France manager Didier Deschamps has brought on Raphael Varane at center-back after pairing Ibrahima Konate and Dayot Upamecano against Australia. Theo Hernandez takes over at left-back for his brother, Lucas, who ruptured the ACL in his right knee against Australia. Jules Kounde comes in at right-back for Benjamin Pavard.
France confirmed lineup (4-2-3-1, right to left): . Lloris (GK) – 5. Kounde, 4. Varane, 18. Upamecano, 22. T. Hernandez – 8. Tchouameni, 14. Rabiot – 11. Dembele, 7. Griezmann, 10. Mbappe – 9. Giroud
Starting central midfielder Thomas Delaney will miss the rest of the World Cup due to injury.
Head coach Kasper Hjulmand has made a complete round of changes, many of them eye-popping. He’s kept his three-CB formation, but has sat captain Simon Kjaer, with Galatasaray defender Victor Nelsson coming in to replace him. Also benched is Kasper Dolberg who is sat alongside both attackers who played alongside him in the opener.
In their places come a trio of reinforcements in Andreas Cornelius, Mikkel Damsgaard, and Jesper Lindstrom.
Denmark (3-4-3, right to left): 1. Schmeichel (GK) – 2. Andersen, 3. Nelsson, 6. A. Christensen – 5. Maehle, 23. Hojbjerg, 10. Eriksen, 13. Kristensen — 14 Damsgaard, 21. Cornelius, 25 Lindstrom.
🇩🇰 DEN DANSKE STARTOPSTILLING 🇩🇰
Kasper Hjulmand stiller op med dette stærke hold til kampen mod Frankrig 💪#ForDanmark #worldcup
📸 @fbbillederdk pic.twitter.com/1RXiAKcGJB— Fodboldlandsholdene 🇩🇰 (@dbulandshold) November 26, 2022
France vs Denmark live stream, TV channel
Does Denmark have France’s number? Here’s how to watch the action from Stadium 974 around the glob, as the Danes target an unprecedented third straight victory in 2022 over Les Bleus.
Date | Time | TV Channel | Streaming | |
USA | Saturday, Nov. 26 | 11:00 ET | FS1, Telemundo | fuboTV, Fox Sports site/app, Telemundo Deportes site/app, Peacock |
Canada | Saturday, Nov. 26 | 11:00 ET | TSN, CTV, RDS (French) | TSN site/app, CTV site/app, RDS app |
UK | Saturday, Nov. 26 | 16:00 GMT | ITV, STV | ITVX, STV Player |
Australia | Sunday, Nov. 26 | 03:00 AEDT | SBS | SBS On Demand |
India | Saturday, Nov. 26 | 21:30 IST | Sports18 | Voot, JioTV |
Hong Kong | Sunday, Nov. 27 | 00:00 HKT | Now TV (Ch. 616, 618) | Now TV |
Malaysia | Sunday, Nov. 27 | 00:00 MYT | Astro | Astro GO |
Singapore | Sunday, Nov. 27 | 00:00 SGT | StarHub (Ch. 251/252), Singtel TV | MeWatch, Singtel TV GO, CAST, StarHub TV+ |
New Zealand | Sunday, Nov. 27 | 05:00 NZDT | Sky Sport 7 beIN Sports | Sky Go, Sky Sport NOW |
Watch the match on fuboTV in USA:
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