Australia 1-0 Denmark – Women’s World Cup LIVE: Caitlin Foord opens the scoring with a fantastic counter-attacking goal after latching onto an exceptional ball from Mary Fowler

Follow Mail Sport’s live blog as Australia and Denmark go head-to-head in the Women’s World Cup. 

Host commentator

Slight pause in play following a head knock for Sevecke after competing for a header with Foord, but she is okay to continue. 

And let me provide a positive stat for the Aussies as we get started again… no team has overturned a half time deficit at this World Cup.

Revoke her Australian citizenship immediately.

In all seriousness, it’s hardly surprising that the future Queen of Denmark is backing the Europeans today.

Loved ones of the Matildas will be watching from behind their sofas tonight, no doubt!

Rebecca Welch blows the whistle to bring the first half to a close, and while Australia have been far from their best, they’ll be the more pleased of the two sides as they go into the break with a one-goal lead.

No doubt about it, Caitlin Foord has been the best player on the pitch and Tony Gustavsson will be hoping his players can match her energy and skill levels to get over the line here.

It would mean the Matildas coach could give Sam Kerr more much-needed rest. The Tillies superstar is wearing a broad grin on the bench. 

The fourth official has indicated three minutes of additional time. 

It’s fair to say Denmark’s confidence has been knocked out of them since that Foord goal, they’re not posing the same questions that troubled Australia earlier on.

Half time will offer them a chance to regroup and go again. Not long until the break now.

This is shaping up to be a game of attack vs defence now Australia has the one-goal advantage, and after seeing how lethal the Matildas are on the counter-attack, who can blame them.

Foord is absolutely purring, though. She picks up the ball on the left, cuts inside and fires an effort at goal. It clearly took a deflection as it went wide of the far post but the referee awards a goal kick. 

Australia can’t rest on their laurels here, though, as Denmark continue to press forwards with a corner kick. The ball is sent in towards Boye but she balloons her header over the bar.

The Matildas have taken the lead! It’s against the run of play but they won’t care.

This goal is all about Australia’s frightening speed on the counter attack. Madsen plays a loose cross straight to a Matilda and the hosts pounce. Fowler picks her head up and spots the bursting run of Caitlin Foord, deep inside her own half, and plays an inch perfect throughball for the Arsenal star.

Foord’s first touch is perfect before she slots home with an ice-cool left-footed strike beyond Christensen. 

Their first shot on target results in a goal. Brilliant move.

But the Danes have certainly had the better of it. 

The set piece is aimed towards the near post and Pedersen tries to get a touch on it, but Arnold does enough to clear. 

A Denmark attack breaks down because the ball hits referee Rebecca Welch as the Danes advanced, a slight let off for the Matildas and Kennedy is letting her teammates know about it, barking her orders as the Australians attempt to get going. 

Corner for the Danes after Raso turned the ball behind. 

Another warning from Pernille Harder for Australia. Again, she is afforded the luxury of driving at the Matildas’ defence, with Hunt and Kennedy electing not to put a foot in.

She advances into the penalty box, opens her body up but is unable to fire her effort either side of Arnold, who saves comfortably.

Slight pause in play as Catley is down injured, but she is up and walking in a good sign for the Aussies.

Denmark are playing some lovely stuff here, keeping possession ticking over as they probe for openings. 

Mary Fowler drops from her attacking position to help her midfielders out and wins back the ball, before Raso is played the ball in an offside position. 

Great run from Pernille Harder, who drives at the Matildas defenders, drifts past Katrina Gorry but blasts her shot wide of goal. Positive start from Denmark’s record top scorer.

Good opportunity for Denmark. A ball is flashed across goal for Madsen, but she stretches for the ball with her wrong foot and can’t make a connection. 

Would have troubled Arnold if she managed to direct that at goal.

Pernille Harder offers the biggest threat for Denmark and you can see why. She carries the ball half the length of the field in a one-woman counter attack, but eventually she is crowded out and the Matildas get enough bodies back. 

A good move down the right sees Foord play Catley into the box, but her cutback fails to find a green and gold shirt and Denmark clear the danger.

The Matildas are trying to establish a rhythm here, with Hayley Raso offering the first break forwards but the Madrid star is crowded out by thee defenders.

The Danes test Mackenzie Arnold within the first minute of the game, as left back Veje fires a tame effort into the goalkeeper’s arms. 

National anthems are done, pre-match handshakes have been dished out and we’re ready for kick off.

The Matildas, in their iconic green and gold kit, are kicking from left to right at Stadium Australia. 

We’re moments away from kick off in the Matildas’ round of 16 clash with Denmark. Here’s hoping it’s nowhere near as nerve-wracking as the England game!

A reminder of the teams for tonight’s game…

Australia XI: Arnold; Catley, Kennedy, Hunt, Carpenter; Foord, Cooney-Cross, Gorry, Raso; Fowler, van Egmond

Denmark XI: Christensen; Sevecke, Pedersen, Boye, Veje; Thomsen, Kuhl, Holmgaard, Madsen; Vangsgaard, Harder

England breathes a collective sigh of relief as the Lionesses advance to the quarter finals of the tournament, beating Nigeria 4-2 on penalties. 

After 120 minutes, nothing can separate England and Nigeria so their last-16 clash goes to penalties in Brisbane. 

Remember, Australia will face either France or Morocco in the quarter finals, so the outcome of this result doesn’t immediately impact the Matildas, but an England elimination would see one of their biggest challengers sent packing. 

A penny for Sam Kerr’s thoughts right now…

Will we see the same jubilant scenes that were witnessed during the Socceroos’ magical World Cup run in Qatar?

Sam Kerr is not warming up with her Matildas teammates, in a concerning sign for the Australians.

Channel Seven’s Grace Gill claims it’s to avoid her warming up her injured calf, putting it at risk of cooling down again before she enters the pitch. 

But it paints a pretty bleak picture for the state of her calf…

These youngsters could walk away from Stadium Australia with memories to last a lifetime tonight.

And the Matildas are looking very calm indeed. 

Looks much, much better than the aqua number they donned against Canada last week.

England could be in serious trouble against Nigeria, where it is 0-0 heading into injury time.

If they’re to go through, they’ll have to do it without Lauren James – who has been sent off for this nasty stomp on her opponent. 

Click below to read more.

Australia XI: Arnold; Catley, Kennedy, Hunt, Carpenter; Foord, Cooney-Cross, Gorry, Raso; Fowler, van Egmond

Denmark XI: Christensen; Sevecke, Pedersen, Boye, Veje; Thomsen, Kuhl, Holmgaard, Madsen; Vangsgaard, Harder

And it’s not good news for Matildas fans hoping to see Sam Kerr start.

And we LOVE to see that big smile on Sam Kerr’s face.

Now, we don’t want to get ahead ourselves here, but there is a real chance the Matildas can do something incredibly special at this World Cup.

There are tough challenges ahead, though, with some absolute titans remaining in the competition.

Click below to see how Australia can make it to the final of the World Cup. 

When Marcelo Bielsa told an assistant coach to sit in some bushes outside of Derby’s training ground to spy on his opposition, at least he can be credited for attempting to be inconspicuous. 

The folks who shelled out for a helicopter to spy on the Matildas and Sam Kerr could have at least tried being more creative, though.

Such is the fervent desire to know of Kerr’s fitness status, Australian media hired a chopper to swoop over Matildas training this week, but Tony Gustavsson was not impressed.

Click below to read more. 

In a bid to cater to the mass TV audiences in Europe and North America, tonight’s game kicks off at 8.30pm local time, meaning the match will finish at approximately 10.15pm at the earliest. 

Here’s hoping we don’t go to penalties!

Click below to read more.

The Matildas coach insists they don’t need the underdog tag to fire when they face Denmark for a place in the Women’s World Cup quarter-finals.

‘This team have been very clear going into this tournament that they don’t play to prove anyone wrong or play for external reasons – they play for their reason why and they want something,’ Gustavsson said.

‘They know even though you might look at the ranking and say we’re favourites, look at those teams ranked 10, 11,12, 13 in the world, look at where the players are playing. I’d say it’s a 50-50 game in that sense.

‘But these players have also proven themselves in a game that is do-or-die, that is backs against the wall.

‘It was the round of 32 when we played Canada – this is the round of 16. It’s this one moment, one game – and the players know that.’

An arena fit for a World Cup knockout game… expect plenty of noise for Australia vs Denmark tonight!

Well, if you ask the Matildas captain, there is no doubt that she will feature tonight against Denmark.

(She also said she’d play against Canada in Australia’s final group game but didn’t get on the park, so your guess is as good as ours!)

Click here to read more.

How are the nerves, folks?

Well, I wouldn’t blame you if your finger nails have taken a good gnawing today. We’ve got a huge match ahead of us this evening. 

The Matildas’ World Cup campaign could end tonight if things don’t go the host’s way, in what would be a hugely disappointing result given the excitement that has swept the nation over the past few weeks.

Standing in Australia’s way is Denmark, who have flattered to deceive thus far but, as underdogs in this clash, know they have nothing to lose against a side hoping to see superstar Sam Kerr return to the pitch. 

But, will she start the game? Team news is on the way shortly. 

Source: Read Full Article