France finish top ahead of Danes after stalemate

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Australia bow out, Peru leave WC on high note

MOSCOW, June 26, (AFP): France secured first place ahead of Denmark in Group C on Tuesday following a 0-0 draw in Moscow that could set up a heavyweight World Cup clash with Lionel Messi’s Argentina in the last 16.

Didier Deschamps’ side dominated possession but struggled to create any clear-cut chances against a determined Denmark, who will likely meet Croatia for a place in the quarter-finals.

France have scored just three times in three games in Russia, including a penalty and an own goal, and it was another disjointed display from one of the title favourites.

They will discover their opponents in the next round later on Tuesday, with Argentina needing to beat Nigeria in Saint Petersburg to stand a chance of qualifying.

Deschamps rested captain Hugo Lloris and Paul Pogba, with the Manchester United midfielder a booking away from suspension, while Kylian Mbappe was also left out among six changes.

Marseille goalkeeper Steve Mandanda, 33, made his first appearance at a major tournament, having been an unused substitute at the last three European Championships and the 2010 World Cup.

After much debate about the video assistant referee (VAR) following further controversy on Monday, it was inevitable any penalty area tussles would prompt strong appeals at the Luzhniki Stadium.

There have already been 20 penalties given at this World Cup, a tournament record before the group stage has even concluded.

Denmark’s Martin Braithwaite laid an early claim after going down under pressure from Presnel Kimpembe, although there appeared minimal contact at best.

France had a penalty shout of their own when Henrik Dalsgaard slid in on Lucas Hernandez, with Kasper Schmeichel tipping behind Olivier Giroud’s looping follow-up effort.

Committed play from Thomas Delaney saw him release Andreas Cornelius down the left flank but Christian Eriksen was unable to apply a finishing touch as Mandanda and Hernandez combined to clear.

Antoine Griezmann then shot tamely at Schmeichel from 20 yards, the Atletico Madrid forward’s biggest contribution coming just before the break when he sparked a threatening counter that drew a cynical foul from Mathias Jorgensen.

A bystander for long periods, Mandanda was nearly caught out by a speculative Eriksen free-kick as he spilled before pouncing on the rebound just ahead of Cornelius.

A miscued clearance from Djibril Sidibe soon presented Eriksen with another chance, the Tottenham star dragging wide of the target on this occasion.

Nabil Fekir was introduced for Griezmann for the final 20 minutes, and the Lyon forward looked lively right away as he hammered a shot just the wrong side of the post.

Mbappe was introduced late on for an ineffective Ousmane Dembele, but it was again Fekir who went closest to ending the impasse with a low, bouncing shot that forced Schmeichel into a sharp save.

Loud jeers from a sold-out crowd of 78,011 greeted the final whistle although it was a result that suited both sides as Denmark, now unbeaten in 18 matches, reached the latter stages of the World Cup for the first time since 2002.

Australia’s World Cup ended with a whimper as goals from Andre Carrillo and Paolo Guerrero gave Peru a 2-0 victory in the teams’ group finale on Tuesday.

The Socceroos needed a win to stand any chance of reaching the last 16 for the first time since 2006, but they were undone by Carrillo’s 18th-minute strike and Guerrero’s goal early in the second half at the Fisht Stadium.

They go home without a win, joining Peru in being eliminated in Group C. However, for the South Americans there was only elation at ending their long wait for a victory in the competition.

Peru were already out before this game but they still had a huge travelling support, clad in the country’s distinctive white and red colours.

They made up the majority of the 44,073 crowd in sauna-like conditions by Russia’s Black Sea coast, and the stadium exploded when Carrillo scored their first goal at a World Cup since 1982.

It was their first win in nine games at the tournament since they defeated Iran 4-1 in Argentina in 1978, and they will now hope to build on their performances in Russia after finally coming in from the international wilderness.

Whatever Australia did would ultimately have been in vain as they needed Denmark to lose against France to maintain any chance of making it out of Group C — the Danes played out a 0-0 draw in Moscow that allowed them to advance behind the French.

For the Socceroos it is a third consecutive World Cup in which they have failed to make it beyond the group stage. Bert van Marwijk’s team took just one point, against the Danes, in between defeats at the hands of France and then Peru.

The Dutchman did not bow to the pressure back home to give veteran forward Tim Cahill a start in the game, with Tomi Juric preferred to the 38-year-old up front in the absence of the injured Andrew Nabbout.

Cahill came on early in the second half but was unable to score the goal that would have seen him join an elite group of players — including Pele and Cristiano Ronaldo — to have found the net at four World Cups.

Australia were already two goals down, and heading for the exit, by the time Cahill was introduced.

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