Football Tips: 11/2 punt among our 3 best bets for Denmark v Scotland

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Denmark (-1)

Make no mistake about it, this is a huge task for an injury-hit Scotland side. Runaway Group F leaders Denmark have emerged as a true force in European football after their wonderful run to the Euro 2020 semi-finals and already look certain to book their place in next year’s World Cup.

Denmark are top of Group F with nine points from their opening three games, scoring a hugely impressive 14 goals and conceding none. They ripped Austria to shreds in an emphatic 4-0 victory in their most recent group game, an ominous sign for Scotland considering how well Austria did at the Euros, especially against eventual champions Italy.

7:45pm: Denmark v Scotland
Sky Sports Main Event/Sky Sports Football

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More recently, Denmark’s performances at the European Championships have earmarked them as one of the top teams in Europe, especially their 4-0 demolition of Wales and their 4-1 hammering of Russia.

Scotland, who by contrast performed rather poorly at the Euros, are missing a host of key players ahead of Wednesday’s game and will do well to keep the score down.

SteveClarkeScotlandMay21

Denmark to Win to Nil

Denmark are yet to concede in their three World Cup qualifying games and it is hard to see a limited Scotland side changing that on Wednesday night. The Danes kept clean sheets against both Austria and Israel, who will compete with Scotland for second place in Group F, and there is little reason to think that Scotland will fare any better.

The Scots were one of the poorest attacking forces at the European Championships over the summer, scoring just one goal in three games and registering the worst attacking record at the tournament along with Turkey and Finland.

Scotland, under Steve Clarke, are best described as pragmatic and often score one goal or less in competitive games under the former West Brom manager. In fact, Scotland have managed to score more than once in just six of their 20 competitive games under Clarke – against Cyprus, San Marino, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Austria, and a massively depleted Czech Republic.

With the exception of Austria, any national team worth their salt would have expected to score at least two goals against such low level of opposition. It is difficult to see Scotland breaching a Danish rear guard that comfortably kept Wales at bay over the summer.

Mikkel Damsgaard to Score First

Mikkel Damsgaard helped Denmark fill a Christian Eriksen-sized hole as they surged to the Euro 2020 semi-final without their talisman, and he now has the opportunity to make the No.10 role his own over the next few years.

Damsgaard scored vital opening goals for Denmark in their Euro 2020 games against Russia and England, unlocking a stubborn Russia defence in a winner-takes-all clash before sending a sensational freekick past Jordan Pickford to give the Danes the lead in the semi-finals.

He already has two goals to his name in just one appearance during the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, scoring twice in Denmark’s 8-0 win over Moldova in March. At just 21 years of age, he is easily one of the most important players in this exciting Danish team and can add to his four international goals against a depleted Scottish side on Wednesday.