Denmark captain Simon Kjaer says they “can go a long way” after qualifying for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with a win over Austria in Copenhagen.
The Danes maintained their 100% record in Group F thanks to Joakim Maehle’s second-half goal.
They will also travel to the Middle East having impressed at Euro 2020 where they reached the semi-finals.
“We have come a long way already but we have only become hungrier,” Kjaer told Danish television channel Kanal 5.
“We built up a crew and a mentality that is incredibly healthy and we have been eager to improve all the time. We share the best with each other and adding that to the quality we have, we can go a long way.”
Maehle’s goal was no more than the Danes deserved, as he swept a low effort into the bottom corner following Thomas Delaney’s superb run.
Their eighth consecutive victory leaves them seven points clear of second-placed Scotland with two matches remaining.
Coupled with Scotland securing a late win in the Faroe Islands, the result means that Austria’s hopes of reaching the finals are now reliant upon last year’s Nations League performance taking them into the play-offs.
Line-ups
Denmark
Formation 3-4-3
- 1Schmeichel
- 6Christensen
- 4Kjaer
- 3Vestergaard
- 18WassBooked at 31minsSubstituted forNørgaardat 90′minutes
- 23Højbjerg
- 8DelaneySubstituted forJensenat 90′minutes
- 5Maehle
- 11Skov OlsenSubstituted forStryger Larsenat 77′minutes
- 20Poulsen
- 14DamsgaardSubstituted forDolbergat 44′minutes
Substitutes
- 2Andersen
- 7Jensen
- 9Daramy
- 10Bruun Larsen
- 12Dolberg
- 13Kristensen
- 15Nørgaard
- 16Hansen
- 17Stryger Larsen
- 19Wind
- 21Cornelius
- 22Rönnow
Austria
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 13Bachmann
- 16TrimmelBooked at 47mins
- 5Posch
- 4Hinteregger
- 8Alaba
- 6IlsankerSubstituted forOnisiwoat 72′minutes
- 10Grillitsch
- 20LaimerSubstituted forKainzat 83′minutes
- 9SabitzerBooked at 90mins
- 15GrüllSubstituted forGregoritschat 83′minutes
- 7KaraSubstituted forSchaubat 72′minutes
Substitutes
- 1Schlager
- 2Wöber
- 3Danso
- 11Gregoritsch
- 12Lindner
- 14Ljubicic
- 17Schaub
- 18Schöpf
- 19Mwene
- 21Demir
- 22Onisiwo
- 23Kainz
Live Text
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Match ends, Denmark 1, Austria 0.
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Second Half ends, Denmark 1, Austria 0.
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Marcel Sabitzer (Austria) is shown the yellow card.
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Florian Kainz (Austria) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Kasper Dolberg (Denmark).
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Substitution, Denmark. Mathias Jensen replaces Thomas Delaney.
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Substitution, Denmark. Christian Nørgaard replaces Daniel Wass.
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Offside, Austria. David Alaba tries a through ball, but Christopher Trimmel is caught offside.
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Karim Onisiwo (Austria) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Thomas Delaney (Denmark).
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Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (Denmark) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Karim Onisiwo (Austria).
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Substitution, Austria. Florian Kainz replaces Konrad Laimer.
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Substitution, Austria. Michael Gregoritsch replaces Marco Grüll.
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Attempt missed. Louis Schaub (Austria) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by David Alaba.
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Attempt missed. Florian Grillitsch (Austria) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Louis Schaub.
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Foul by Kasper Dolberg (Denmark).
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Florian Grillitsch (Austria) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt missed. Martin Hinteregger (Austria) left footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Konrad Laimer.
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Substitution, Denmark. Jens Stryger Larsen replaces Andreas Skov Olsen.
