Denmark will travel to San Marino knowing a win would all but guarantee them a Euro 2024 qualifying spot. The Danes could secure automatic qualification for the finals of the next year if they win. In contrast, their hosts have not yet scored or accrued a point.
Preview (San Marino vs. Denmark)
Robert Skov’s goals just before and after halftime helped Denmark defeat fellow contender Kazakhstan. It moving them one step closer to securing consecutive appearances in the European Championship finals. With three games remaining, the top two teams have already opened up a four-point advantage to both the Kazakhs and Finland after a critical 3-1 victory in Copenhagen kept Kasper Hjulmand’s team equal on points with Group H leaders Slovenia. As a result, should Slovenia avoid defeat against Northern Ireland and Kazakhstan draw with the Finns? Denmark will qualify this week if they fulfill the formality of defeating San Marino a second time in the process.
After losing to Croatia in their most recent UEFA Nations League campaign, the Euro 92 champions currently do not have a potential playoff spot to fall back on, but games against Slovenia and Northern Ireland next month give additional opportunities to advance. Denmark has recovered and is undefeated since that surrender in March when it began its journey to Germany by defeating Finland but then allowed Kazakhstan to rally from two goals down with 20 minutes left to lose 3-2 in Astana. They may only have 90 minutes left before the Euros. Securing their spot this week would allow Hjulmand to try new things in the Danish team’s November games.
In one of the five victories the Danes have had this year, they held San Marino to just one shot. They had 14% of the ball in a 4-0 victory at Parken Stadion. The Sammarinese have experienced this before, and in 2023 it has been no different. They are on a run of seven straight losses placing the international underdogs at the bottom of Group H. The tiny microstate, which also included their loss in Denmark, suffered three straight losses by four goals in September. Fabrizio Costantini’s team last played at the weekend, losing 3-0 to second-place Northern Ireland. San Marino is also at the bottom of the FIFA global rankings.
Team News
Assuming the captaincy once more for Denmark on Tuesday night, veteran defender Simon Kjaer will surpass goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel to hold the record for most appearances for his nation with 130 after tying him against Kazakhstan. Robert Skov started at the weekend, and a two-goal performance might retain the Hoffenheim winger in the starting lineup as both Anders Dreyer and Andreas Skov Olsen, who joined Benfica’s Alexander Bah on the sidelines due to injury, were forced to withdraw from Kasper Hjulmand’s first roster. Due to San Marino’s restrictions, Hjulmand may choose to rotate the team’s front line, with Burnley’s Jacob Bruun Larsen and RB Leipzig’s Yussuf Poulsen both having the potential to replace Jonas Wind, who also scored on Saturday and might join Rasmus Hojlund in the visitors’ front line.
San Marino’s offense will once again be led by captain Matteo Vitaioli. He has only scored once in 88 prior appearances for his country. Olbia of the Italian Serie C offers assistance through Nicola Nanni. Roberto Di Maio, a 41-year-old former Lecce defender who had to wait ten years to be naturalized as a Sammarinese citizen, is likely to start in the hosts’ back five. Earlier this year, he made history by being the oldest footballer in Europe to play for his country. Denmark should start out strong in Serravalle before slowing down after victory is certain since they might perhaps seal a top-two finish in Group H and, with it, their spot at Euro 2024. It will be a matter of no aims once more.
San Marino 0 – 3 Denmark
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