FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 - Group D - England v Denmark - Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney, Australia - July 28, 2023 Denmark players pose for a team group photo before the match REUTERS/Carl Recine/File Photo
SYDNEY (Reuters) - Denmark will make it their mission to ruin Australia's party and kick-start their own celebrations by knocking the co-hosts out of the Women's World Cup, but victory will not come easy against one of the favourites, coach Lars Sondergaard said on Sunday.
Speaking before Monday's last-16 clash at Stadium Australia, Sondergaard said his team can take confidence from a 3-2 victory over the Matildas in 2021, adding that they had learnt a lot about their opponents in a 3-1 defeat last year.
"We're going to have our own party if we succeed in ruining a party and that part is fine by me. Of course, it's going to be a difficult game but we see chances," Sondergaard told a press conference.
"We're living a dream and we want to continue living it as long as possible, until the final day of the tournament."
Denmark go into the contest after finishing second in Group D behind England with two wins and a defeat, the same record as Australia, who topped their group.
Having made the last 16 at a World Cup for the first time since 1995, Sondergaard said he is leaving no stone unturned to continue their run.
"We've looked at Australia's latest matches, particularly the ones here at the World Cup and they've shown quite clearly improving form but also tremendously good counter-attacks and team play in general," Sondergaard said.
"We know what we're up against. That's what you have to expect when you come to play the best teams. Matches get more difficult, we know that. But we have faith in ourselves and believe that what we do can hurt Australia."
Australia captain Sam Kerr missed the team's three group stage games due to injury but should be fit for the Denmark clash. Sondergaard said Australia had shown they were just as good without their talisman, though.
Denmark midfielder Janni Thomsen said they did not need extra motivation.
"The goal was to get out of the group and progress and we've done that. We haven't finished, that's for sure," Thomsen said.
"We all dream to be in the final. We know it's going to be a tough road. But let's focus on one match at a time.
"We're meeting world class opponents in Australia. We're ready and want to win. I believe that's motivation enough. To play a match like this in a packed stadium will be great."
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Tom Hogue)
