[caption id="attachment_190708" align="aligncenter" width="565"]
Samara: Australia's Mathew Leckie, 7, heads a ball on the goal during the group C match between Denmark and Australia at the 2018 soccer World Cup in the Samara Arena in Samara, Russia, Thursday, June 21, 2018. AP/PTI(AP6_21_2018_000232B)[/caption]
Samara (Russia), June 21 (IANS): Australia held Denmark 1-1 in a Group C game here on Thursday to keep alive their chances of making it to the pre-quarterfinals of the FIFA World Cup.
Australia, who had lost 1-2 to France in their opening match, got their goal from a penalty conversion by captain Mile Jedinak in the 38th minute after Denmark had taken a 1-0 lead through Christian Eriksen in the seventh minute.
Earlier in the match, Denmark star player Christian Eriksen linked up well with Nicolai Jorgensen to smash a half-volley past Mat Ryan in the 7th minute, opening up what looked to be a match almost certainly dominated by the Danes, reports Efe.
But the Aussies struck back earning a penalty when Yussuf Poulsen blocked a cross with his hand, taking a yellow card in the process.
Mathew Leckie dutifully stepped up to the spot and slotted it to the right-hand-side of the net, sending Kasper Schmeichel the wrong way.
Australia was quick out the blocks after half-time but failed to cash in on the promise its attacking display showed.
The game ground to a draw, meaning Denmark head into its final group game with four points while Australia have just one.
