Denmark vs Australia: Celta Vigo winger Pione Sisto fails to justify Southampton link in 1-1 draw - scouting report

Christian Eriksen was once again the best player on the pitch as Denmark drew 1-1 with Australia in Samara on Thursday, but the Tottenham playmaker’s lack of consistent support in the final third resulted in a frustrating day for Age Hareide’s men.

Perhaps the most disappointing performer was Pione Sisto, the Ugandan-born Celta Vigo winger whose pace and trickery has added an exciting new dimension to Denmark’s attacking unit since he made his senior international debut three years ago.

Deployed on the left of a three-man creative line behind Nicolai Jorgensen, his best qualities only appeared in flashes against Australia’s smothering defence. He struggled to beat his man in isolation and his opportunities to stretch the game in transition were limited.

Hareide clearly has a lot of faith in Sisto, allowing him the tactical freedom to frequently drift in from the left flank to a more central position, where he was comfortable receiving the ball in tight spaces. Too often, though, he was content to make a safe pass rather than looking for more incisive options or attempting to commit Australian defenders with the ball at his feet.

Sisto’s more ambitious moments did cause panic. Early on Eriksen rolled a corner kick short to him and he clipped a dangerous in-swinging cross that Thomas Delaney failed to connect cleanly with, directing his header well wide. Later, as the first half opened up with Australia seeking an equaliser, he shifted the ball onto his left foot and stung the palms of Mathew Ryan from 25 yards.

Denmark’s broader link-up play was inconsistent, a reality that even inhibited Eriksen as Australia came back into the game following Mile Jedinak’s penalty. Sisto did show willingness to try different things – narrowly failing to connect with Simon Kjaer’s ambitious long ball in behind early in the second half – while never failing to track back defensively.

Jorgensen’s awareness of midfield runners was a big problem for Australia and, when he slipped the ball to Sisto in the penalty area the 51st minute, the winger might have been wiser to fake his shot that was ultimately deflected just wide. He was right to let fly in the 72nd minute though, unleashing a curling effort from 25-yards that had Ryan scrambling for his far post.

Sisto’s goals for Danish club Midtjylland against Manchester United in a two-legged Europa League tie in 2016 first brought him to the attention of a wider audience, but it is his creativity that has shone through since joining Celta in the summer of 2016; he laid on so many goals in the first half of this season that he earned the nickname ‘Pione Asisto’.

But he was unable to exert the same kind of influence here. Australia finished the game stronger than Denmark and as the pressure on Kasper Schmeichel’s goal grew, Sisto’s frustration manifested itself in a late tackle that earned him a yellow card in the 81st minute.

Sisto has a £36 million release clause in his Celta contract, a figure that represents reasonable value in this inflated transfer market considering what he has already achieved at the age of 23. His physical and technical qualities lend themselves to Premier League football, and Southampton have been linked with signing him in recent months.

He will have to find more ways to impose himself on matches of this importance if he wants to prove he is ready for a grander stage, though – as well as helping Denmark find a way through an increasingly competitive Group C.