World Cup Preview - Group E - Denmark

Nickname: "Danish Dynamite"

FIFA ranking: 35th

Coach: Morten Olsen

Game Schedule:
June 14 – Denmark vs. Netherlands (Jo'burg, 7:30 a.m. EST, ESPN)
June 19 – Denmark vs. Cameroon (Pretoria, 2:30 p.m., ABC)
June 22 – Denmark vs. Japan (Rustenberg, 2:30 p.m., ESPN)

Prospects: Solid, yet unspectacular, Denmark are the quintessential Scandinavian football team; this approach has served them well, allowing the Dynamite to emerge from the group stage in 86, 98 and 02. If the Danes score early, their defense, led by Liverpool's Daniel Agger, is maddeningly difficult to break down.

Key Player: Juve's Christian Poulsen combines the bite of a holding midfielder with the range of passing of a playmaker.

Youngster to watch: 21 year old Palermo central defender Simon Kjaer will be on a lot of big club's shopping list this summer.

Who Will Get the Goals: Arsenal's big Nik Bendtner is Denmark's most potent goal threat.

Who Will Get the Cards: Blackburn's Lars Jacobsen likes to put the boot in.

Prediction: A close thing, but I see the Danes just edged out by Cameroon in the Group Stage, possibly on goal difference.