Denmark will have to show more quality in front of goal in Monday's Euro 2020 clash with Russia if they are to have any hope of progressing from Group B.
Kasper Hjulmand's side have scored from just one of their 43 shots in this year's tournament, while their opponents have had seven shots against them and scored three times.
After losing 1-0 to Finland – a game overshadowed by the cardiac arrest suffered by Christian Eriksen – and 2-1 to Belgium, Denmark are now in the last chance saloon.
They can finish second if they beat Russia and Finland lose to Belgium, depending on the goals scored in those two matches, while only a win will do for third place.
Following positive updates on the health of Eriksen, who has been discharged from hospital, Hjulmand's focus for now is on getting three points against Russia in Copenhagen.
"No matter what, we shall go out there and try to win the match," he said. "It's going to be an unbelievably hard match against Russia.
"They are coming to Parken with a result they can use for something. We shouldn't force anything. We have to keep a level head."
Russia put their 3-0 loss to Belgium behind them with a 1-0 win over Finland last time out and will advance to the last 16 with a victory on Monday, while a draw may be enough.
The visitors have had a day's extra rest than Denmark, but head coach Stanislav Cherchesov insists there will be more to the game than fitness alone.
"That can be important at major tournaments, but not necessarily vital," Cherchesov said. "What will be vital is the tactics, the team, our approach.
"I have no doubt that we will play at our best level. Our task is to do our job well and get the result."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Russia – Artem Dzyuba
Zenit forward Dzyuba exchanged passes with Aleksey Miranchuk for Russia's winner against Finland – albeit for a goal that was all about the quality of his team-mate's finish – to make it 22 goal involvements in his last 21 international appearances.
That includes 14 goals, the most recent of those coming in March's World Cup qualifying win over Slovenia. Dzyuba has showed that there is more to his game than scoring goals, and Russia will need their captain to be on top of his game on Monday.
Denmark – Martin Braithwaite
Barcelona forward Braithwaite had seven of his side's 21 shots against Belgium without finding the net – the most by a Denmark player in a Euros match since Preben Elkjaer Larsen had 10 against Spain at Euro 1984.
He found himself in some promising positions in that loss to the world's top-ranked side, and was desperately unlucky not to score from a late header that hit the crossbar, but Denmark could do with one of Braithwaite's efforts ending in the opposition net.
KEY OPTA FACTS
– Since the dissolution of the USSR, Russia and Denmark have only met once, in a friendly at Copenhagen's Parken Stadium in February 2012. Russia won 2-0.
– Russia kept a clean sheet last time out against Finland. They had conceded in 16 of their previous 17 major tournament games (Euros and World Cup), since keeping consecutive shutouts against Greece and Sweden at Euro 2008.
– Denmark have suffered defeat in each of their two group stage games at Euro 2020. They have twice previously lost all three of their group games in a European Championships tournament, doing so at Euro 1988 and Euro 2000.
– Russia are looking to record back-to-back wins at the European Championship for the first time since winning three in a row at Euro 2008, the first two wins of which were their final two group games.
– Yussuf Poulsen scored Denmark's goal in their 2-1 defeat to Belgium. Poulsen has only scored in consecutive appearances once for his national side, doing so in June 2018 against Mexico in a friendly and Peru at the World Cup.
Hurtig the hero after late goal sends Arsenal into Champions League quarters
Lina Hurtig's 89th minute winner ensured Arsenal progressed to the quarter-finals of the Women's Champions League after edging Juventus 1-0 on Thursday.
After being frustrated for large parts of the encounter, Hurtig bundled home from close range after Martina Lenzini's poor clearance to book the Gunners' place in the last eight.
Despite Arsenal dominating the early exchanges, it was Juventus who had the first sight of goal, though Eva Schatzer's effort was easy for Daphne van Domselaar to gather.
In a first half that saw just two shots on target, both coming from the visitors, Renee Slegers' substitutes proved to be the difference for Arsenal.
Slegers introduced Beth Mead, Stina Blackstenius and Hurtig late on, with the latter somehow putting Kim Little's cross over the bar from five yards out.
However, the Swede would atone for her earlier error, combining with fellow substitute Blackstenius to net against her former club and send them out of the competition with two group games remaining.
Meanwhile, in Group D, Barcelona edged closer to the quarter-finals of the competition with a convincing 4-1 victory over St. Polten at the Generali Arena.
The reigning champions are still three points behind Manchester City following their 2-1 win over Hammarby, and know a win against the Swedes next month will see them progress.
Kika Nazareth opened the scoring in the 20th minute after capitalising on a mistake by Kamila Dubcova, notching her second nine minutes later from close range.
Barca found themselves three goals up at the break when Vicky Lopez netted her first goal in the competition to put the result beyond doubt.
There was also a landmark moment for Alexia Putellas, who netted her 200th goal for the club with a well-taken effort into the far corner.
Valentina Madl took some of the shine off an otherwise impressive display from the visitors, who have now taken their tally to 20 goals from their four matches in the competition.
Guardiola agrees two-year contract extension with Man City
Pep Guardiola will be Manchester City manager for at least two more seasons after 2024-25, after he signed a two-year contract extension on Thursday.
The 53-year-old was coming to the end of his City deal, which was due to expire at the end of the current campaign, but he has opted to remain at the Etihad Stadium.
The deal itself will take Guardiola's tenure at the club to over a decade, making him City's longest-serving manager since Les McDowall in 1963.
There had been suggestions that he may leave at the end of the season following the announcement that director of football Txiki Begiristain was on his way out.
Guardiola was strongly linked with the England job after Gareth Southgate resigned in the wake of their Euro 2024 final defeat, but the Football Association appointed Thomas Tuchel last month.
“Manchester City means so much to me," Guardiola said. “This is my ninth season here; we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club.
“That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.
“Thank you to everyone for continuing to trust and support me – The Owner, The Chairman Khaldoon, Ferran, Txiki, the players and, of course, the fans… everyone connected to Manchester City. It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.
“I have said this many times before, but I have everything a manager could ever wish for, and I appreciate that so much.
“Hopefully, now we can add more trophies to the ones we have already won. That will be my focus.”
Having been appointed in 2016, Guardiola is by some distance Manchester City's most successful manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies during his time at the club.
That list includes their first-ever Champions League triumph in 2023 and six Premier League titles, including an unprecedented four on the spin.
He also boasts a 72.04% win percentage across all competitions, which is unsurprisingly the highest of any full-time City manager in history.
Shaw at the double as Man City progress in Champions League
Khadija Shaw scored twice as Manchester City beat Hammarby 2-1 to seal their place in the Women's Champions League quarter-finals.
Gareth Taylor's team entered Thursday's game with a perfect record in Group D, and their fourth win in as many European matches ensured they finished in the top two.
Shaw—the leading scorer in the Women's Super League this season with eight goals—put them ahead in the 31st minute, driving into the area after taking in Yui Hasegawa's pass before seeing her shot deflect into the top corner.
Shaw was booked for celebrating in front of the home fans despite appearing to have objects thrown at her from the stands, and Hammarby should have levelled when Julia Blakstad fired wide 10 minutes later.
The hosts did draw level three minutes into the second half as Ellen Wangerheim tapped home while City's Laura Blindkilde Brown was down appealing for a free-kick.
That parity was short-lived, though, as Shaw blasted into the top corner from 25 yards out, taking her overall tally for this season to 12 goals in all competitions.
In Group C, meanwhile, Bayern Munich lost their perfect record as they played out a 1-1 draw with Valerenga, boosting Arsenal's hopes of topping the pile.
Jovana Damnjanovic came off the bench to put Bayern ahead 15 minutes from time in Norway, but Elise Thorsnes headed home following an 88th-minute corner to snatch a point for the hosts.
Arsenal could now move within a point of Bayern when they face Juventus in Group C's other match later on Thursday.
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