Giant killers Czech Republic (CZE) will meet high-flying Denmark (DEN) in what promises to be a cracking contest in Baku. The Czechs produced the first big upset of the tournament after the victory over the Netherlands in the Round of 16. They would be hoping to reach their first semi-final since the 2004 edition. Meanwhile, Denmark is on a roll. Kasper Hjulmand’s men have scored eight goals and conceded just one goal in their last two games. The last five of the six meetings between both sides have ended in a draw.
Tomas Holes and Tomas Kalas were architects in the Czech Republic’s triumph against the Netherlands. It was Holes who scored the opening goal and turned provider for the second. Centre-back Kalas, who made crucial clearances to deny Denzel Dumfries and Donyell Malen in the first half, set up the opening goal. The Denmark backline will be wary of Patrik Schick, who scored in typical fashion against the Dutch to make it his tally for the tournament to four goals. The 25-year-old has been clinical in front of the goal with registering eight shots on target from 13 attempts.
Kasper Dolberg made his opportunity count as he struck a brace against Wales. The man of the match display is likely to force the Denmark head coach to leave Yussuf Poulsen on the bench. Martin Brathwaite, who netted against Wales, could also retain his place in the starting eleven. Skipper Simon Kjaer, too, had an excellent outing against Wales. He has scored a goal and grabbed an assist against the Czech Republic in three appearances. Also, Joakim Maehle and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg will be keen to continue making decisive contributions in the attacking front.
Head-to-Head
Played: 11
CZE won: 3
DEN won: 2
Drawn: 6
Top Five Fantasy Points scorers (Round of 16)
CZE: T Holes (20 pts), T Kalas (13 pts), P Schick (11.5 pts), V Coufal (8.5 pts), O Celustka (8.5 pts)
DEN: J Maehle (19.5 pts), K Dolberg (19 pts), M Braithwaite (11 pts), M Damsgaard (9.5 pts), J Vestergaard (9.5 pts)
Euro 2020 Stats
Top Goalscorer: CZE – P Schick (4 goals); DEN – K Dolberg, J Maehle, Y Poulsen (2 goals)
Most Assists: CZE – V Coufal, T Holes, T Kalas (1 assist); DEN – P Hojbjerg (3 assists)
Most Passes Completed: CZE – V Coufal (156 passes); DEN – P Hojbjerg (255 passes)
Most Successful Tackles: CZE – T Holes (6 tackles); DEN – S Kjaer (4 tackles)
Shots Saved: CZE – T Vaclik (9 saves); DEN – K Schmeichel (4 saves)
Injuries/Suspensions
CZE: none
DEN: none
Playing 11
CZE (possible): T Vaclik; V Coufal, O Celustka, T Kalas, P Kaderabek; T Holes, T Soucek; L Masopust, A Barak, P Sevcik; P Schick
DEN (possible): K Schmeichel; A Christensen, S Kjaer, J Vestergaard; D Wass, P Hojbjerg, T Delaney, J Maehle; M Braithwaite, K Dolberg, M Damsgaard
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Parameswaran Sankaranarayanan
Parameswaran Sankaranarayan is a sports enthusiast who has worked in print, website, and other digital platforms. He was part of the editorial team of first-ever Indian football-based website - IndianFootball.com (now defunct) - and passionately follows the latest happenings in world football. During his time as a journalist, he had the opportunity to interact with some of the iconic personalities in Indian sports and witness some memorable moments in Indian football.
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