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maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 27 JUNE 2018 20 WORLD CUP SPORTS THE goals finally dried up at this thrilling World Cup yes- terday when a flat France and dull Denmark played a mutually beneficial 0-0 draw at the Luzh- niki Stadium which allowed the French to finish top of Group C and the Danes to qualify in sec- ond spot. Thirty-six games in Russia had failed to result in a goalless stalemate, but neither France nor Denmark ever looked like scoring in a tedious affair. France were already assured qualification but wanted to go through in top spot to avoid a likely last-16 clash with in-form Croatia. Denmark could have only been denied qualification had they lost to France and had Aus- tralia beaten Peru in the match being simultaneously played in Sochi. But with the Peruvians lead- ing 2-0 before the hour in that game, the Moscow clash settled down to little more than a can- ter. While not in the same catego- ry as the infamous 1982 "Nich- tangriffspakt von Gijon" - the non-aggression pact of Gijon - when West Germany and Aus- tria both settled for a 1-0 Ger- man win which put them both through, neither side at the Lu- zhniki looked to be going all out for victory. "It was our objective to ensure we were first out of the group... The objective was achieved," French coach Didier Des- champs said. "It was very difficult. Teams are very well prepared, and it's not easy against such a packed defence." The writing had been on the wall early in the capital, with the play dominated by industry rather than any kind of inspira- tion. The Danes built a pattern of firing balls deep before quickly tracking back, while the French kept possession well but struggled through- out with the final ball. Antoine Griezmann, sur- prisingly not among the six players rested by Didier Deschamps for this match, looked listless as he sought to probe the Danish defence for a way through. At times it seemed as though he was on a differ- ent wavelength to his team- mates, who failed to spot his runs or find the spaces Griez- mann played into. It took more than half an hour before there was any real chance, and then Ousmane Dembele pushed his right foot shot wide of the goal – and of Kasper Schmeichel's overly elaborate dive. Deschamps brought Benja- min Mendy on for Lucas Her- nandez just after half time, but he might have made a raft of changes as the French con- tinually misfired. Jeers and whistles swirled around the frustrated crowd as both sides failed time after time to create any real oppor- tunities, the Danes continuing to defend deep and the French rarely breaking out of a trot. Deschamps substituted Griezmann in the 68th min- ute for Nabil Fekir, but it was a case of plus ca change. "I made a lot of changes. That hurts the cohesion a bit but it's good that the whole squad feels involved," Des- champs said. Few teams will fear either side on the back of this perfor- mance but surely there will be better days ahead for both na- tions when the reality of sud- den-death forces their hands. Their next opponents must come from the group of Ni- geria, Argentina, Iceland and Croatia. Denmark France 0 0 Peru secure deserved World Cup win over Australia as both bow out A stunning Andre Carrillo vol- ley gave Peru their first World Cup goal in 36 years before cap- tain Paolo Guerrero grabbed a second as the Andean nation condemned Australia to a 2-0 defeat in Sochi yesterday and an early exit from Russia. Guerrero set up Carrillo's 18th- minute wonder goal from the edge of the box with a delightful cross, then scored from a deflec- tion five minutes after the inter- val to send Peru's red-and-white army of fans into ecstasy at the Fisht Stadium. Although already eliminated, the Peruvians head home on a high note, having grabbed their first World Cup win since their 4-1 defeat of Iran at the 1978 fi- nals in Argentina. Denied a place at the global showpiece for 36 years, the result left Peru third in Group C with three points, while the Socceroos head home with just one, but more than a few regrets. France topped the group with seven points, with Denmark run- ners-up on five after the teams played out a 0-0 draw. Australia had needed to beat Peru and for France to defeat Denmark so the re- sult was largely academic for the Socceroos. But Bert van Marwijk's side would have felt it was deja vu, as they surged for- ward in numbers but lacked the polish to conjure a score. Captain Mile Jedinak blazed over the bar in the fifth minute while winger Mathew Leckie was denied in the goalmouth by a scrambling de- fence in the 36th. Not even an early second half injection of talisman Tim Ca- hill could spark the Socceroos, their 38-year-old striker denied a goal in his World Cup swansong when he fired a volley straight into a Peru defender. Australia have long yearned for a cutting edge up front but it was a defensive error that allowed Guerrero to swoop and set up Carrillo's winner. Full back Josh Risdon failed to deal with a long ball, allow- ing Guerrero possession at the left of the area, and the captain wheeled a cross into the path of winger Carrillo who hammered the ball into the left corner of the net. It was the Andean nation's first World Cup goal since Guillermo La Rosa scored in a 5-1 defeat by Poland at the 1982 finals in Spain. Australia tried to rally through midfielder Tom Rogic who barged through a nest of defend- ers into the box in the 27th min- ute only to have his shot blocked. Guerrero, whose tournament was in doubt due to a doping suspension, doubled the score in the 50th minute, a deflection off Jedinak dropping the ball in his path obligingly before his shot re- bounded off Mark Milligan into the net. From there, Peru rode their luck to the finish as the Socceroos peppered the goal in desperation but to no avail. Australia Peru 0 2 Andre Carrillo 18', Jose Paolo Guerrero 50' Denmark join France in knockout stages after drab draw