Danish debate: To draw or not

Jacquet has been forced to design a new game plan after the two-match ban on his playmaker Zinedine Zidane. Four other regulars would miss the second round if they receive another yellow card tomorrow and might be rested by Jacquet.

Denmark have four points, having scored two goals and let in one. South Africa, their only Group `C’ rivals, have one point and have scored one goal and conceded four.

Johansson’s quandary over his team has been worsened by the sendings-off of Miklos Molnar and Morten Wieghorst in the 1-1 draw against South Africa, but he said he was notworrying about how Jacquet would cope with Zidane’s absence.

Veteran mid-fielder Michael Laudrup, playing his last competitive tournament, could be given a less defensive role.

Striker Ebbe Sand, still to score for his country, could lose his place up front alongside Laudrup’s younger brother Brian although Johansson’s options are limited without Molnar.

PSV Eindhoven’s Peter Moller may come in for Sand or the Danes could reinforce mid-field and leave Brian Laudrup more exposed up front, knowing a draw will be enough to go through.

The Danes ousted France en route to the 1992 European title and more recently edged them 1-0 in November 1996. Jacquet is expected to draft in Patrick Vieira, Vincent Candela, Franck Leboeuf and Christian Karembeu.

Emmanuel Petit is the only one of the four players carrying yellow cards likely to start tomorrow. Didier Deschamps, Bixente Lizarazu and Laurent Blanc should stay on the bench.

Striker Stephane Guivarc’h, who has so far played only 25 minutes in thetournament, has recovered from a knee problem and is likely to replace the injured Christophe Dugarry.

Probable teams: France: 16-Fabien Barthez; 19-Christian Karembeu, 4-Franck Leboeuf, 8-Marcel Desailly, 2-Vincent Candela, 17-Emmanuel Petit, 18-Patrick Vieira, 11-Robert Pires, 6-Youri Djorkaeff; 12-Thierry Henry, 9-Stephane Guivarc’h

Denmark: 1-Peter Schmeichel; 12-Soren Colding, 3-Marc Rieper, 4-Jes Hoegh, 2-Michael Schjonberg; 6-Thomas Helveg, 7-Allan Nielsen, 21-Martin Jorgensen, 10-Michael Laudrup; 11-Brian Laudrup, 19-Ebbe Sand.