Wales vs Denmark round of 16: Preview, prediction, team news, betting tips and odds

Wales and Denmark will enter round of 16 and face each other in an exciting match on 26 June. Here is the preview, prediction, team news, betting tips and odds updated of the match.
June 23, 2021 | 11:48
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The European Championship knockout stages begin this weekend with Wales and Denmark meeting in Amsterdam.

Wales reached the semi-finals at Euro 2016 and are promising to make another run through the tournament after taking four points from Switzerland and Turkey in the group stage, with Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey looking back to their best.

Denmark secured qualification with a spectacular victory over Russia on an emotional night in Copenhagen, with Christian Eriksen recovering at home after suffering a cardiac arrest in their opening game against Finland.

When is it?

Photo: Wagerbop
Photo: Wagerbop

Wales vs Denmark is on Saturday 26 June.

What time is kick-off?

The game gets under way at 5pm BST.

What TV channel is it on?

Wales vs Denmark round of 16: Preview, prediction, team news, betting tips and odds
Photo: Getty Images

The television schedules are yet to be finalised but there will be live coverage on BBC One or ITV1. Alternatively, you can bookmark this page and return to follow all the action on our live blog.

Wales vs Denmark: Team news and squads

Position Wales squad
Goalkeepers Hennessey, Ward, Davies
Defenders Gunter, Williams, Chester, C. Roberts, Lockyer, Dummett, Freeman, J. Lawrence
Midfielders Ramsey, King, Allen, Brooks, Wilson, Ampadu, Smith, James
Forwards Bale, Vokes, T. Lawrence, Woodburn, T. Roberts, Thomas

Neil Taylor and Chris Mepham were both initially called up by Giggs but have since been forced to pull out. Ben Davies is suspended, meanwhile.

Nevertheless, the manager can call upon Chris Gunter, Ashley Williams and James Chester, who have amassed more than 200 caps between them. Indeed, should Gunter player, he will match Neville Southall’s record for Wales caps on 92.

Aaron Ramsey will seek to pull the strings in the midfield, while Gareth Bale, who has shaken off an ankle worry, will attract the attention in an offensive capacity.

Possible Wales starting XI: Hennessey; Roberts, Williams, Chester, Dummett; Allen, Ampadu; Brooks, Ramsey, Lawrence; Bale

Position Denmark squad
Goalkeepers Schmeichel, Ronnow, Hansen
Defenders Bjelland, Ankersen, Christensen, Larsen, Jorgensen, Vestergaard, Dalsgaard, Knudsen
Midfielders Eriksen, Schone, Delaney, Hojbjerg, Lerager
Forwards Jorgensen, Poulsen, Braithwaite, Cornelius, Sisto, Dolberg, Gytkjaer

Denmark are hampered by the loss of influential captain Simon Kjaer, who is absent because of a hamstring injury. Kasper Schmeichel is set to take the armband.

Huddersfield goalkeeper Jonas Lossl is also ruled out because of injury, while Copenhagen attacker Viktor Fischer is also missing.

Possible starting XI: Schmeichel; Dalsgaard, Zanka, Christensen, Larsen; Delaney, Schone; Poulsen, Eriksen, Sisto; Dolberg

Wales vs Denmark: Preview

Photo: Getty Images
Photo: Getty Images

Wales (TBA) saved its skin against Italy in the last game of Group A, surviving a massive pressure in the final few minutes, this remaining second. If the Dragons allowed one more goal, that would see them slipping down to third place. In this case, they remained second because of a better goal difference over Switzerland.

Gareth Bale is the undisputed leader of the team, but the central figure, in our opinion, is the goalkeeper Ward who had several magnificent saves at this tournament. Leicester City’s goalie delivers safety in the backline and kills the morale of the rivals.

Wales’ matches are usually inefficient because they play very tough and physical football, focused on protecting their own goal. If there is some chance for a counter-attack through Bale, that would be perfect; otherwise, the Dragons wait for set pieces.

Denmark (TBA) smashed Russia in the last round, 4-1, finally showing one tinny bit of their true potential. Against Finland, we saw a tragedy with Eriksen. That undoubtedly disrupted the entire team delivering a shock from which they couldn’t recover.

Danes missed a chance to solve the match against Belgium in the first half; once they had a 1-0 lead, and once missing that opportunity, the Red Devils flipped the result upside down.

Denmark came to this championship as one of the best defenses in the world, but somehow, their superb backline stiffed, which resulted in four allowed goals.

Wales vs Denmark: Prediction

Wales have grown stronger after a shaky first hour of the tournament against Switzerland, and unlike several teams of their stature have bona fide attacking class in Ramsey and Bale.

Denmark have a fine collection of centre-backs though, well protected by Thomas Delaney and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, and won't be caught out by late runs from deep as Turkey were against Wales.

Add Denmark's extra motivation to honour their stricken team-mate Eriksen, and we fancy them to have too much.

Verdict: Wales 1 Denmark 2

Wales vs Denmark: Betting tips and odds

BTTS

Both teams scored when these two nations last locked horns in 2018, a game Denmark won by two goals to one. Wales have only conceded more than one goal in one of their last six international matches and pride themse4lves on having a strong defence, but Denmark scored four goals against Russia in their final group game and both teams have scored in three of the Scandiavians' last five fixtures.

Over 2.5 Goals

Matches between these two countries don't always produce a lot of goals but the last two that did both ended in 2-1 scorelines. Three of Denmark's last six outings have seen over 2.5 goals scored with the Danes scoring four goals against Russia last time out. However, Wales won't prove as easy to penetrate as the Russians did and as Turkey and Switzerland found out, Wales have goals in them.

Gareth Bale to Score

Gareth Bale is yet to find the back of the net at Euro 2020 but we feel that this is the game he will finally score. Bale is a man for the big occasions and the 31-year-old has been instrumental in Wales' progression into the knockout stage, all he is missing is a goal. Bales has scored 33-goals in 95 caps for his country and has come close to scoring in every game so far.

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