The battle of playoff underdogs in Odense: prediction for Denmark vs Ukraine - 07.06.2026
One of the international friendlies will take place on Sunday at Odense Stadium, where Denmark will host Ukraine. For the home side, it’s a chance to regain their rhythm after the painful miss at the 2026 World Cup, while for Andrea Maldera’s squad it’s the first real away test following a successful start to a new coaching era.
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Denmark: a wounded team with home energy
Denmark is going through a rough patch after failing to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, and Brian Riemer is clearly using the June fixtures not just for results, but to reboot his squad. The goalless draw against DR Congo was lackluster in quality, but motivation should be different in Odense: at home, the Danes rarely play at half throttle, especially when there’s trust to be won back from the stands.
The rebuild is deep: after several veterans departed, the coaching staff is increasingly turning to new faces. William Osula, Jens Trenskow, Andreas Jungdal, and Adam Daghim have already been given a chance with the national team, and against Ukraine, more high-profile names like Mads Hermansen, Alexander Bah, and Kasper Høgh might feature. Denmark’s main argument, however, is their home scoring power: in their last six home matches, they’ve netted 16 goals.
Ukraine: Maldera's winning debut and defensive questions
Ukraine began a new chapter with a 2-0 victory over Poland, and for Andrea Maldera, it was an almost perfect debut: the team played pragmatically, withstood pressure, and made the most of their few chances. It’s especially important that the team gained emotional momentum after a short home camp and an open training session in Lviv—details like these often help players adapt more quickly to a new coach’s ideas.
Ukraine’s squad has been strengthened for the Denmark clash: Illia Zabarnyi and Ruslan Malinovskyi have joined the camp, and Artem Dovbyk, having recovered from injury, could get more minutes on the pitch. But the main intrigue is still in defense: two consecutive clean sheets against Poland and Albania look solid, although the match with Poland showed just how crucial Anatoliy Trubin’s saves were. In Odense, the pressure could be even more intense, and this is where we’ll see how quickly Maldera has reinforced Ukraine’s out-of-possession structure.
Match facts and head-to-head
- Denmark thrashed North Macedonia 4-0 in their last home game, but followed that with a 0-0 draw against DR Congo in Liège.
- Ukraine under Andrea Maldera started with a 2-0 win over Poland, converting two of three shots on target.
- Denmark have scored at least two goals in five of their last six home matches, while Ukraine have conceded at least twice in three of their last five away games.
Prediction
Denmark look like a team that needs this match not just as a tune-up, but as a chance to quell the negativity after a disappointing campaign. Moving the game from the familiar Parken to a more compact Odense could even heighten the home effect: the stands are closer, the atmosphere more intense, and the hosts are likely to come out aggressive in the opening minutes.
Ukraine under Maldera have already shown they can play disciplined, effective football, but the Poland match shouldn’t be misleading. The team found themselves pinned back too often, and against Denmark that scenario could spell bigger problems. I expect the visitors to find their moment through the quality of Malinovskyi, Tsyhankov, or Dovbyk, but Denmark’s home tempo should tip the balance in favor of the hosts.
