Liège, Belgium — Denmark and the Democratic Republic of the Congo played out a goalless draw in an international friendly, the scoreline stuck at 0-0. The hosts hit the woodwork three times, the visitors’ goalkeeper made several crucial saves, and a scoreless night still had plenty going on.
Match at a glance
Denmark had 57% possession, 12 shots and 22 touches in the box, but only three on target; 17 crosses yielded just one success, and 600 passes still could not produce a goal. DR Congo had eight shots and four on target, slightly edging the hosts on shot quality despite fewer chances. Each side had one clear-cut opportunity, with Adam Dahiem and Simon Banza both missing their team’s best openings in turn. Corners finished 4-4, fouls 9-7, and referee Lothar D’hondt booked Joachim Mæhle in the 42nd minute, with three minutes of stoppage time in the second half.
Tactical standoff
Denmark lined up in a 4-3-3 and entered the final third 72 times to DR Congo’s 48, but the last pass kept letting them down. The visitors sat in a 5-3-2 to squeeze space, won 55% of duels, and completed 11 of 17 dribbles — well ahead of Denmark’s two successes from five attempts. Denmark made 12 tackles and 12 interceptions to stifle counters; DR Congo cleared 19 times and blocked more key efforts, keeping the hosts’ possession advantage outside the box.
The frame was Denmark’s unluckiest teammate: Christian Eriksen, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg and Joachim Mæhle all hit the post in turn. For DR Congo, Lionel Mpasi-Nzau was among the standouts, with three saves and one high ball claimed for a ScoreZ rating of 8.0; at the back, Chancel Mbemba scored 7.4 as the defensive line held firm against Denmark’s aerial and wide threats.
Background and outlook
For both sides, this was a useful workout ahead of the World Cup cycle. Site data shows the Democratic Republic of Congo have climbed to 46th in the FIFA rankings, up two places from the previous release, with 1,478.35 points. In recent internationals, the team have drawn 0-0 against Cameroon, Namibia, Comoros and others in a string of matches, with defensive resilience now their calling card. Denmark need to turn possession into end product; otherwise, no matter how lively a friendly feels, it cannot hide a lack of finishing up front.
Post-match Talking Points
The 0-0 scoreline could not mask the intensity of the game: Denmark dominated possession and progression, while the DR Congo were sharper in duels and with their selective counters. When the next international window opens, both will return to their respective tournament build-ups. Whether Denmark can lift their crossing success rate from this low, and whether the DR Congo can sharpen their finishing without sacrificing their solid defensive base, will be key things to watch going forward.
