World Cup 2018 Qualifiers: Denmark vs. Republic of Ireland Odds, Prediction

Ryan Stetson
November 9, 2017

The final of four World Cup qualifying first-leg playoff matches this week is Saturday as the Republic of Ireland travels to Copenhagen to face Denmark, which is solidly favoured on the soccer odds.

Republic of Ireland at Denmark

When: Saturday, 2:45 p.m. ET

Where: Telia Parken, Copenhagen

Moneylines: Denmark -139, Republic of Ireland +411, draw +231

Betting Analysis

The second leg of this playoff is at Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Tuesday. The eight runners-up from the World Cup qualifying group stage advanced to these two-legged playoffs. Europe has advanced 10 teams to play in Russia next summer already: Belgium, England, France, Germany (reigning champions), Iceland, Poland, Portugal, Russia (hosts), Serbia and Spain.

The Republic of Ireland is 5-3-5 all-time vs. Denmark. The teams last played in a 2007 friendly, a 4-0 Irish win. The Danes’ last victory was in 1985. Ireland’s last in a major tournament was 1979.

Denmark

The Danes won a tiebreaker with Montenegro to finish runner-up to Poland in UEFA Group E and booked the playoff spot with a 1-1 draw in their final match against Romania. Denmark has reached just four World Cups, last in 2010. Its best result was the quarterfinals in 1998. This will be the Danes’ first-ever playoff.

Denmark also missed out on Euro 2016 in a playoff. The country’s star is Christian Eriksen, who had eight goals in qualifying. He had the lone goal, on a penalty shot, in that draw with Romania. Eriksen has scored in each of his last six appearances, only the third player in the country’s history with such a run.

“I think he has become as important to Denmark as Gareth Bale to Wales,” said Martin O’Neill, manager of the Republic of Ireland of Eriksen, who stars in the English Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur. O’Neill is old friends with Denmark coach Age Hareide. Their paths first crossed at Manchester City.

Two Danes, Simon Kjaer and Nicolai Jorgensen, are in doubt for at minimum the first leg with injury concerns. Henrik Dalsgaard has been ruled out.

Republic of Ireland

The Irish were second in Group D to Serbia. They claimed that runner-up spot thanks to a 1-0 win over third-place Wales in the final group stage match on Oct. 9. James McClean scored the only goal in the 57th minute as the Republic of Ireland became the first side to win on Welsh soil in four years. It helped that Wales was without its superstar in Bale. McClean leads the team with five goals in qualifying.

O’Neill will be missing striker Sean Maguire, who is expected to miss three months with a torn hamstring. The 23-year-old only made his senior international debut last month. Injuries also have ruled out defender Richard Keogh and midfielder James McCarthy, while David Meyler is suspended for the first leg. John O’Shea is questionable with a calf injury.

Ireland has made three previous World Cups, last in 2002. Its best performance was the quarterfinals in 1990. The Irish are 1-3 in playoffs for the World Cup. The victory was a 2-1 aggregate defeat of Iran in the Korea/Japan 2002 preliminaries. Ireland did qualify for Euro 2016 in a two-leg playoff against Bosnia-Herzegovina.