Wind Leads Line For Denmark In Euro 2020 Opener With Finland

Zeeshan Mehtab Published June 12, 2021 | 10:16 PM

Denmark will start with Jonas Wind up front as they aim for a winning start to Euro 2020 in Saturday's Group B game with underdogs Finland

Copenhagen, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Jun, 2021 ) :Denmark will start with Jonas Wind up front as they aim for a winning start to Euro 2020 in Saturday's Group B game with underdogs Finland.

There are few surprises in coach Kasper Hjulmand's selection, with Barcelona forward Martin Braithwaite and RB Leipzig's Yussuf Poulsen on the wings backing up the 22-year-old Wind, an FC Copenhagen striker who is playing at his home ground against the Finns.

Nice forward Kasper Dolberg has been left on the bench, as has promising Bologna winger Andreas Skov Olsen.

The Parken Stadium in the Danish capital will host 16,000 fans -- about 45 percent of capacity -- who will also see playmaker Christian Eriksen pulling the strings behind Wind.

A full-strength line-up also includes Thomas Delaney and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in midfield in front of a well-drilled defence featuring Champions League winner Andreas Christensen and goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel.

Teemu Pukki starts for the Finns despite having only played a few minutes since injuring his ankle at the end of the English season with Norwich City.

The 31-year-old, who has scored 30 goals for his country, had said on Friday that he felt ready to play in Finland's first ever match in a major international tournament.

Pukki is only two goals behind Finland's all-time highest goalscorer Jari Litmanen, who is widely considered the country's greatest ever footballer.

Captain Tim Sparv will also take the field after recovering from a knee injury that had kept the midfielder out of action since the end of March.

Starting line-ups: Denmark (4-2-3-1) Kasper Schmeichel; Daniel Wass, Simon Kjaer (capt), Andreas Christensen, Joakim Maehle; Thomas Delaney, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg; Yussuf Poulsen, Christian Eriksen, Martin Braithwaite; Jonas Wind Coach: Kasper Hjulmand (DEN) Finland (4-4-2)Lukas Hradecky; Jukka Raitala, Paulus Arajuuri, Daniel O'Shaughnessy, Jere Uronen; Robin Lod, Glen Kamara, Tim Sparv (capt), Joona Toivio; Teemu Pukki, Joel PohjanpaloCoach: Markku Kanerva (FIN).