DOHA, Nov 22 — Christian Eriksen will start in Denmark’s World Cup opener against Tunisia today, his first major tournament match since his harrowing on-pitch collapse at the European Championship last year.
Manchester United midfielder Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest in the Danes’ first group match at the Euro but has fought back to top form and will be the key creative force in Kasper Hjulmand’s fancied side.
The 30-year-old starts alongside Andreas Skov Olsen, preferred to Espanyol forward Martin Braithwaite, just in behind Kasper Dolberg as the Danes get their Group D campaign underway at Education City Stadium.
Thomas Delaney and Tottenham Hotspur’s Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg start in midfield in a familiar line-up for the Danes which also features captain Simon Kjaer in defence and Kasper Schmeichel in goal.
Anis Ben Slimane starts in midfield for Tunisia against the country of his birth, the Copenhagen native also playing his club football for Danish team Brondby.
Jalel Kadri is leading Tunisia in his first World Cup as head coach and will look to frustrate Denmark, his side getting clean sheets for eight of the nine matches played under Kadri’s stewardship.
Denmark (3-4-2-1):
Kasper Schmeichel; Joachim Andersen, Simon Kjaer (capt), Andreas Christensen; Rasmus Kristensen, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Thomas Delaney, Joakim Maehle; Christian Eriksen, Andreas Skov Olsen; Kasper Dolberg
Coach: Kasper Hjulmand (DEN)
Tunisia (3-4-3):
Aymen Dahmen; Montassar Talbi, Dylan Bronn, Yassine Meriah; Mohamed Drager, Aissa Laidouni, Ellyes Skhiri, Ali Abdi; Anis Ben Slimane, Issam Jebali, Youssef Msakni (capt)
Coach: Jalel Kadri (TUN)
Referee: Cesar Ramos (MEX) — AFP
