Celtic’s Kasper Schmeichel, if he escapes the sickness bug that has hit the Denmark squad at the worst possible time for their World Cup hopes, will be in goals at Hampden tomorrow night looking to keep a clean sheet that regardless of what happens at the other end of the pitch, will see the Danes book their place in next summer’s World Cup Finals in Canada, USA and Mexico.
That should really have happened on Saturday night in Copenhagen when Denmark, after beating Belarus 6-0 in the away leg, needed a win to wrap up automatic qualification to leave Scotland with the play-off consolation prize.
But the Belarus side that started to impress at Hampden – a warning ignored by the complacent Danes – shocked the Parken stadium coming back from a goal down to go 2-1 up before a late Danish equaliser meant the game finished in a 2-2 draw.
With Scotland losing 3-2 in Greece, this was a massive ‘get out of jail free’ card for Steve Clarke and his Scottish side whose chances remain very much alive as they face Denmark , sickness bug and all, at Hampden knowing that a victory will see Scotland grab the automatic qualification place and send Denmark into the play-offs.
Kasper Schmeichel was certainly not a happy Bhoy on Saturday night as he pointed the figure at his international teammates for underestimating Belarus.
“I say it all the time – you should never expect to win a football match, because there are no easy matches,” the Celtic goalkeeper said. “It is not easy to win games at this level and you should not underestimate your opponent.
“We had beaten Belarus 6-0 last month and before the game I said in the dressing room that we shouldn’t think it would be easy. They also have a skilled coach and some analysts who have seen what went wrong and have been able to come up with a new plan.
“So it’s an incredibly disappointing result. I don’t know if I would say we were shaken, but we were supposed to try to reset after their first goal and we didn’t.”
Kasper added: “On the bus ride back to the hotel, we can really think about the game. Then we have to move on, because there is a huge game waiting for us on Tuesday.”
Denmark’s manager Brian Riemer is certainly concerned about the sickness bug affecting the camp with two of his stars now isolated from the group.
He said: “Well, right now we have Joachim Andersen, who is sick, and we have Højlund, who is sick. And a staff member who is sick. And then there have been some who have had a few minor things, but it’s nothing that worries us.
“We are in a situation where the doctor is on it. It is the season for such things. You can’t protect yourself 100 percent, but we are doing everything we can and right now our hope and assessment is that we have put a plug in that part of it, and that on Tuesday we have 24 men who are fit for fight and ready to play,” he said as reported by Danish outlet Tipsbladet.
