Denmark Vs Gibraltar
Friday 15 November 2019 – 19:45 Kick-Off
UEFA Euro 2020 Qualifying
Pick: Christian Eriksen Anytime Goalscorer
Odds: 4/6
Bookmaker: Betfair
UEFA Euro 2020 Betting – 22Bet
(All odds displayed were correct as of 13 November 2019 at 10:20)
Preview: This should be a rather routine affair in Copenhagen, where hosts Denmark are seeking the win needed over Gibraltar that would maintain their favourable position within the group before a decisive meeting in Ireland next week.
Denmark Preview – Victory imperative to qualifying hopes?
Group D Results: Switzerland 3-3 (A), Ireland 1-1 (H), Georgia 5-1 (H), Gibraltar 0-6 (A), Georgia 0-0 (A), Switzerland 1-0 (H)
Having already prevailed in one pivotal encounter, when edging out Switzerland in Copenhagen to win a tense affair 1-0 courtesy of an 84-minute winner from RB Leipzig forward Yussuf Poulsen, Denmark (2nd – W3 D3 L0, GF16 GA5) are eyeing another. Next week’s clash with Ireland is crucial to their qualification hopes. However, whether they go there needing to win or simply to avoid defeat is dependant on the result in this fixture.
Victory over Gibraltar, a team thrashed 6-0 by The Danes back in September, should, however, be a formality. Not since a 1-0 loss to Montenegro over three years ago have Denmark lost any international on home soil, a run of seventeen matches at home without losing (W9 D8). In this group, seven from a possible nine points were registered from their home qualifiers, beating Georgia (5-1) and Switzerland whilst also drawing with Ireland (1-1).
The talismanic Christian Eriksen scored twice in that previously mentioned rout of Gibraltar. His form at club level has dropped markedly this season but he remains an influential figure for his country and with set-pieces in his locker, including possible penalty taking duties, could be one way of supporting the hosts. The 4/6 currently available with Betfair on him netting at any stage in proceedings looks more than fair.
Gibraltar Preview – Writing on the wall for massive underdogs?
Group D Results: Ireland 0-1 (H), Georgia 3-0 (A), Ireland 2-0 (A), Denmark 0-6 (H), Switzerland 4-0 (A), Georgia 2-3 (H)
This has the hallmarks of a hiding to nothing fixture for Gibraltar (5th – W0 D0 L6, GF2 GA19), who are rock bottom of the group after they were unable to secure a single point from their six previous encounters. That seems unlikely to change anytime soon, especially with them next facing an opponent that would hand them their heaviest margin of defeat of the entire campaign back in September – and that was in Gibraltar.
If the scoreline from the reverse meeting hardly bodes well regarding a change of fortunes in Copenhagen, their away record merely compounds it. In twenty previous away encounters, Gibraltar have only managed to avoid losing on two occasions, versus Armenia and Estonia. That is a damning statistic and one which emphasises just how huge the task at hand is for the nation ranked 196 in the latest FIFA Rankings.
Focusing more exclusively on their endeavours so far in this group. Six defeats out of six, scoring just the two goals – both coming in their latest fixture, which was a more encouraging display albeit it coming in a 2-3 loss at home to Georgia. Their three away qualifiers would all follow the same pattern of them losing without troubling the scoring. Therefore it would be a major surprise were they to even score let alone registered a first point of the campaign.
Denmark V Gibraltar Key Facts:
- Denmark are unbeaten in their previous seventeen home internationals (W9 D8), since a 1-0 loss to Montenegro in 2016.
- Gibraltar have lost all six of their Euro 2020 qualifiers thus far and have avoided defeat just twice in twenty previous away matches (W1 D1 L18).
- The previous meeting between the two teams resulted in a comprehensive victory for Denmark, with midfielder Christian Eriksen netting a brace in a 6-0 rout.
Betting Summary
It is crucial that Denmark claim maximum points from this final home qualifiers prior to travelling to Ireland for a crunch encounter in Ireland. In fairness, though, even an under-par performance would still see them record a comfortable scoreline, such is the chasm separating the two sides in terms of quality and pedigree. The Danes have record two wins and a draw in their three previous home qualifiers.
The odds tell us that Gibraltar have no hope whatsoever and, to be brutally honest, it is impossible to disagree. Defeats in all six of their qualifiers to date speaks volumes and while they did make a better fist of things last time out when almost claiming a first point at home to Georgia (2-3), this is a team beaten by six clear goals the last time they faced Denmark. All three away qualifiers were lost to nil.
Finding much value isn’t easy, not when Denmark are a general 1/100 to win. I cannot see Gibraltar even scoring but a home win to nil is only 1/4 with Coral. Instead, attentions turn towards the goalscorer markets, specifically Christian Eriksen who scored twice in the reverse meeting and could have penalties to further his appeal.
