Pandora Hughes
- France v Denmark
- Saturday, November 26, 2022, 11:00 ET
- At Stadium 974, Doha
The top two ranked teams in Group D will meet on Saturday and a low-scoring, tight game looks like the best pick ahead of this all-European clash.
Who do Bettors Favor?
Checking the odds on the best-rated online sportsbooks we can see that France are regarded by bettors as the likeliest winner in this game. Didier Deschamps’ team are rated as -118 chances to win the match, while Denmark are priced at around +380, and the draw is considered a +250 outcome.
| France v Denmark |  |  |  |
| France | -118 | -120 | -116 |
| Draw | +250 | +250 | +250 |
| Denmark | +380 | +365 | +340 |
World Cup Group D Betting Briefing
In a competition that has already had its share of surprises and shocks, Group D has progressed according to form. France went behind against Australia, but eventually finished as comfortable winners, and while Denmark would have hoped to get the better of Tunisia, their draw wasn’t a massive shock and leaves both teams still with a good chance of progressing.
Denmark will also be reassured by their strong recent record against France. In fact, Denmark has avoided defeat in their last three meetings, winning two and drawing once.
Group D has been given an extra dimension of intrigue by the events in Group C. The winner of that Group is set to play the runner-up in Group D in the Second Round. The seedings suggested that Argentina would win Group C, but their opening defeat to Saudi Arabia has thrown the pecking order into chaos and it may turn out to be more of an advantage to be second in Group D than to win it.
France Relying on Depth
A series of injury blows prior to the tournament threatened to de-rail France’s defense of their World Cup title, but such is the depth in the French squad that they were able to brush Australia aside with ease.
The absence of Paul Pogba, N’golo Kante and Karim Benzema may eventually prevent France from retaining their World Cup title, but in the short term, Benzema’s injury has at least simplified Deschamp’s selection issues, with Olivier Giroud and Kylian Mbappe forming the main striking partnership.
Those two combined well against Australia. Mbappe set up Giroud’s second and scored a superb goal of his own in the second half, and that could prove a potent attacking combination as the tournament wears on, although Denmark are likely to be the toughest opponent in the Group.
These two teams produced a goalless draw in their final Group game at the 2018 World Cup and have played each other home and away in the Nations League – with Denmark winning both matches – so there will be plenty of evidence for Deschamps and his team to study as they plot a victory.
Denmark Given Good Workout
Denmark would have hoped to begin their tournament with a win, but Tunisia gave them a good workout, backed by a partisan crowd who cheered every positive moment for the North African side.
Although the Danes had the majority of possession in the game, they weren’t able to create enough high-quality chances and ended up taking fewer shots than Tunisia, who deserved their point, despite a late close call when Denmark’s penalty claims were ruled out by VAR.
The return of Christian Eriksen at a major international tournament was a welcome sight in the Tunisia game, and he was probably Denmark’s main threat throughout, although the Tunisians had clearly done their homework and focused on keeping close tabs on the Manchester United star. That game also suggested that fears about Denmark’s goalscoring options were justified and they will have to do better both creatively and in their finishing to get past France.
World Cup Group D Match Betting
These are familiar foes, and that can often lead to stalemate. France will want to register a win against a Danish team that has too often frustrated them in recent years, but with a win already under their belt and some uncertainty over whether winning Group D is going to be an advantage may mean that they don’t go all out for the win here.
It certainly wouldn’t be the first time that Deschamps has taken a cautious approach, and for neutrals hoping for an exciting encounter, history suggests they may be disappointed.
Five out of the last seven games between France and Denmark have produced fewer than 2.5 goals, while the same can be said for five of France’s and four of Denmark’s last six in all competitions. Neither side has to go all in for victory here, and that could add up to a cautious encounter and a point apiece.
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