The Winner Of Thursday’s Semi-Final Will Face Either Czechia Or Ireland
Parken Stadium | World Cup Play-Off Path D Semi-Final | Thursday March 26 | 7:45pm
Ahead of Thursday’s World Cup play-off semi-final, BetVictor News has the Denmark vs North Macedonia preview, prediction, H2H record, betting angles and more.
Denmark Vs North Macedonia Preview
Having felt the wrath of stunning Scotland goals from Scott McTominay, Kieran Tierney and Kenny McLean in the last Group C qualifier in November, Denmark will have to navigate their way to North America via the dreaded play-offs.
The 4-2 defeat at Hampden Park meant the Tartan Army clinched top-spot at the expense of the Scandinavians. Now, Brian Riemer will be ensuring his charges do not miss out having looked nailed on to progress automatically.
Although BetVictor’s Denmark vs North Macedonia betting market strongly favours De Rod-Hvide to advance, Riemer and supporters will know that nothing can be taken for granted. Especially after the loss to Scotland and frustrating 2-2 draw with Belarus prior to their collapse in Glasgow.
As for the Macedonians, they arrive in Copenhagen with perhaps more hope than expectation. Recently installed head coach Goce Sedloski said about his appointment it is “the greatest responsibility of my career.”
Thwarting the Danes in their own back yard is an unenviable task. Even more so as the Red Lynxes were humbled 7-1 by Wales in qualifying and actually finished third in Group J. However, topping Group C in the 2024-25 Nations League has given the Balkans a chance to make the big time.
Not only that, North Macedonia have form at this stage of qualifying. They famously beat Italy four years ago to deny the Azzurri the chance to go to Qatar 2022. Which is something worth bearing in mind when it comes to European World Cup qualifying betting.
Denmark Vs North Macedonia H2H Record
For those who think the outcome is a formality, the Denmark vs North Macedonia H2H record tells a different story. The nations have only gone toe-to-toe on three occasions and there has been one draw and a victory for each side.
The most recent came back in 2013 when the Danes were humbled 3-0 at the National Arena Toshe Proeski. Most notably, the Scandinavians boosted a side containing the likes of Christian Eriksen, Simon Kjaer and Daniel Agger. Nonetheless, they could not stop Macedonian legend Goran Pandev who ran the show in Skopje.
As for the Danes, their victory came way back in 1995. Peter Nielsen scored the only goal of the game in a Euro 1996 qualifier. The very first clash between Denmark and North Macedonia ended in a 1-1 stalemate. That was also a Euro 1996 qualifier.
Denmark World Cup qualifying form: L-D-W-W-W-D
North Macedonia World Cup qualifying form: L-D-D-W-W
Denmark Vs North Macedonia Team News
Fulham defender Joachim Andersen is absent for the hosts through suspension but West Ham’s Mads Hermansen and Manchester United loanee Rasmus Hojlund are in line to start. In fact, Hojlund will be the biggest goal threat having impressed in qualifying.
He has 10 goals for Napoli this term and will be well supported by Christian Eriksen, Gustav Isaksen and Jesper Lindstrom.
Meanwhile, North Macedonia will be heavily reliant on Napoli attacking midfielder Eljif Elmas. He has plenty of minutes under his belt in Italy’s elite this season and Hojlund will give the lowdown on his attributes to boss Brian Riemer.
Other notable names who are expected to feature include Leeds defender Ezgjan Alioski and Rangers winger Bojan Miovski.
Denmark Vs North Macedonia Predicted Lineups
Denmark predicted lineup:
Hermansen; Hogsberg, Nelsson, Provstgaard, Maehle; Norgaard, Hjulmand; Isaksen, Eriksen, Lindstrom; Hojlund
North Macedonia predicted lineup:
Dimitrievski; Zajkov, Musliu, Velkovski, Alioski; Alimi, Bardhi, Elmas; Churlinov, Trajkovski, Miovski
Denmark Vs North Macedonia Betting Angles
Primary Angle: Denmark to Win to Nil
This represents the strongest betting angle for this fixture. Denmark have kept 3 clean sheets in their qualifying campaign and are formidable at Parken Stadium, where they concede an average of approximately 0.4 goals per home game in recent cycles.
North Macedonia, meanwhile, have scored fewer than 2 goals in most of their away qualifiers against top-ranked opposition. Their attacking output away from home is limited, and breaking down a well-organised Danish defence will be a significant challenge.
- Supporting stat: Denmark kept clean sheets in 3 of their qualifying matches
- Supporting stat: North Macedonia scored just 1 goal across away fixtures against Belgium and Wales combined
Correct Score Markets
A controlled Danish victory feels most likely given the competitive context and form lines. The 1-0 and 2-0 correct scores align with Denmark’s tendency to manage games once ahead and North Macedonia’s defensive resilience.
- Denmark’s home average: Approximately 2.1 goals scored, 0.4 conceded
- North Macedonia’s away record: Kept it tight against Belgium (0-0) but lack consistent attacking threat
Under 3.5 Goals
The knockout context and North Macedonia’s approach point towards a low-scoring affair. Four of North Macedonia’s last five competitive results ended with 2 or fewer total goals (0-0, 1-1, 0-0, 7-1 anomaly). High-pressure playoff games often produce cagey encounters.
- Supporting evidence: North Macedonia’s defensive setup against elite opposition produces tight games
- Context: Knockout football encourages risk aversion
Goalscorer Market: Rasmus Hojlund Anytime
Rasmus Hojlund’s record of five goals in five qualifying matches makes him the obvious candidate to find the net. His club form in the 2025-26 season has been excellent, with reports suggesting around 10 league goals, and he thrives on the international stage.
- Supporting stat: Five goals in five Denmark qualifying appearances
- Role: Primary target man in Danish attack
Shots and Shots on Target
If markets are available, consider Christian Eriksen or Eljif Elmas over certain shots or shots-on-target lines. Both players attempt efforts from range and are involved in set-piece situations. Eriksen’s free-kick deliveries and Elmas’s driving runs generate shooting opportunities.
Corners and Cards
Denmark’s territorial dominance should translate to corner superiority. They will spend long periods in the final third, drawing corner kicks through pressure and blocked crosses.
North Macedonia’s defensive workload against Denmark’s pressing will likely result in fouls. Backing North Macedonia to collect more cards than Denmark is a viable angle, as they will be making tactical fouls to break up play and prevent transitions.
- Corners: Denmark to win the corner count comfortably
- Cards: North Macedonia defensive players subject to booking risk due to foul frequency
Denmark Vs North Macedonia Prediction
Despite their last two qualifying hiccups against Scotland and Belarus, we fancy Denmark to progress to next week’s final against Czechia or Ireland. North Macedonia do have it in them to cause an upset. However, the Danes will surely have learned from their mistakes and get the job done in Copenhagen on Thursday.
Prediction: Denmark 3-1 North Macedonia
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