Celtic keeper Kasper Schmeichel cut a frustrated figure after Denmark blew a golden chance to seal World Cup qualification against Belarus.
It’s clear Denmark never expected to stumble at home, especially after putting six past Belarus last month. The reaction from the Parken crowd said it all. What should have been a routine job turned into a tense, draining ninety minutes that has now dragged Celtic’s No.1 into the biggest international fixture of his season.
To make matters worse, Denmark’s camp has been hit by an illness outbreak that has placed players, including Schmeichel, into isolation protocols. Preparation for a match of this scale is difficult enough, never mind with half the squad wiped out and medical staff firefighting behind the scenes.
Scotland’s own defeat to Greece on Saturday has only added to the chaos. Both nations have taken an unexpected hit at the worst possible time. It now comes down to ninety minutes at Hampden where everything is on the line. And Schmeichel did not hide his disappointment with how Denmark ended up in this position.
He said: (Scottish Sun), “I say it all the time – you should never expect to win a football match, because there are no easy matches.
“It is not easy to win games at this level and you should not underestimate your opponent.
“We had beaten Belarus 6-0 last month and before the game I said in the dressing room that we shouldn’t think it would be easy.
“They also have a skilled coach and some analysts who have seen what went wrong and have been able to come up with a new plan.
“So it’s an incredibly disappointing result.
“I don’t know if I would say we were shaken, but we were supposed to try to reset after their first goal and we didn’t.”
Schmeichel’s comments paint the picture of a team caught cold. Denmark looked flat once Belarus got on the scoresheet and never regained the control they have shown throughout the campaign. For Celtic, the big worry is obvious. Their starting goalkeeper is heading into a physically and mentally heavy showdown while managing an illness-hit camp that cannot train normally.
At the same time, the pressure on Denmark is huge. They know a draw gets them to the World Cup. Scotland must win. For a goalkeeper, that shapes everything about how the game might unfold. Schmeichel will expect a storm at Hampden, and Scotland will see right away if the Belarus game has rattled the Danes more than he is letting on.
Soccer Football – Scottish League Cup – Semi Final – Celtic v Rangers – Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain – November 2, 2025 Celtic’s Kasper Schmeichel in action with Rangers’ Djeidi Gassama Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith
From a Celtic perspective, all eyes will be on how he comes through it. With St Mirren waiting at the weekend and O’Neill or Nancy requiring stability in goal, the last thing the club needs is fatigue or illness dragging into the return to league duty.
Simply put, Tuesday night will define Denmark’s World Cup journey and could have a knock-on effect at Celtic Park too. Schmeichel knows they made life harder than it needed to be, and now it is all on the line in Glasgow.
