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After both teams picked up a win to start their Women’s World Cup campaigns, England and Denmark will face each other on Friday with eyes on a berth in the round of 16. A win would take either team to the top of Group D and could guarantee a spot in the knockout rounds, but this group-stage encounter also allows both England and Denmark to reset after underwhelming opening games. England were notably held to just one goal by tournament newcomers Haiti, while Denmark eked out a 1-0 win of their own against China.
The matchup also provides a new chance for England to reassert themselves as one of the teams to beat Down Under and Denmark to add to the developing narrative that the competition is fiercer than ever at the Women’s World Cup.
Here’s how you can tune into the match, plus the storylines you need to know.
Viewing information
Date: Friday, July 28 England vs. Denmark
Storylines
England: The reigning European champions look to rebound after a surprisingly narrow 1-0 win over Haiti in their first match of the World Cup in which a high-quality England attack failed to register a lot of meaningful shots. The key to rebooting England’s attacking flair will likely be holding midfielder Keira Walsh, who was heavily marked against Haiti. She’s the starting point for the Lionesses’ attack thanks to her strong vision and passing ability, which has only gotten better since she joined Barcelona last summer.
The big question is if head coach Sarina Wiegman will make any changes to her lineup to ensure the attack lives up to its promise against Denmark. Alessia Russo got the nod as a center forward against Haiti, but Rachel Daly and Bethany England made a case for themselves after high-scoring seasons in the WSL. Daly won the golden boot after a 22-goal season during the 2022-23 campaign, while England scored 12 of her 14 goals after her January move from Chelsea to Tottenham.
Denmark: Denmark picked up a 1-0 win over China in their first match at the World Cup since 2007 but struggled to get into the match and mostly let the opposition dominate during the first half. The Danes grew into the match as it progressed and scored a late goal to earn three points but will need to step up their game if they want to take points off England.
Star striker Pernille Harder picked up an assist against China and will be crucial as Denmark aim to take points off of the favorites and is no doubt eager to score her first World Cup goal. Midfielder Karen Holmgaard will also be tasked with keeping out England’s attacking talent.
Prediction
England are one of the favorites to win the World Cup for a reason and will likely showcase their potential sooner rather than later with players like Walsh and Russo at their disposal. That said, don’t expect this match to have a ton of goals in it. PICK: England 2, Denmark 0