Australia kept alive their hopes of reaching the World Cup knockout stage after Mile Jedinak's penalty secured a first Group C point against Denmark.

Christian Eriksen put Denmark ahead with a super finish after Nicolai Jorgensen's clever lay-off.

Australia levelled through Jedinak's penalty awarded after a video assistant referee (VAR) review.

Yussuf Poulsen's close-range handball was analysed on video before the referee pointed to the spot.

• How the players rated
• Relive the action as Denmark draw with Australia

In an absorbing encounter, Aston Villa's Jedinak sent Kasper Schmeichel the wrong way for his second goal of the tournament.

Aaron Mooy went close from distance for Australia before Denmark's Pione Sisto was left holding his head after a curling shot from outside the area flashed just wide.

The point was enough to take Denmark to the top of Group C on four points, one ahead of France who play Peru at 16:00 BST, while Australia can still advance to the knockout stage.

Eriksen stunner leaves Denmark well placed

Denmark have not reached the last 16 since 2002 but Age Hareide's side are in a strong position to advance in Russia after following up victory over Peru with a hard-earned point.

The Danes will feel hard done by for the penalty, the 11th to be awarded in the group stages at this tournament, one more than in the entire group stages in Brazil four years ago.

Poulsen, who has now conceded penalties in successive games in Russia, complained that there was little he could to get his hand out of the way of Mathew Leckie's header.

Yet Denmark failed to build on a strong start handed to them by a sublime finish from Tottenham player Eriksen, who has now had a hand in 18 goals in his past 15 appearances for his country - 13 goals and 5 assists.

Jorgensen could not find the target with a free header after sneaking behind Australia's defence while Sisto wasted a further two chances.

Denmark's final group game is against France. If they still need a result in that game to progress to the last 16, they will have to be more ruthless in front of goal.

Gritty Australia stay alive

Having lost their opening group game to France, Australia needed a positive result to avoid an early exit.

They still have their work cut out to advance beyond the group stage but Bert van Marwijk's side demonstrated in Samara that they are up for the challenge.

Socceroos captain Jedinak is proving to be as vital to Australia as Cristiano Ronaldo is to Portugal.

Australia's last three goals at a World Cup have all been penalties scored by Jedinak, who also netted a further 10 goals in qualifying.

They lost forward Andrew Nabbout to a suspected dislocated shoulder but 19-year-old substitute Daniel Arzani, the youngest player at the tournament, caught the eye as Australia produced a strong finish.

Five matches without a World Cup win - the stats

• Despite a battling point, Australia have failed to win any of their past five World Cup matches (D1 L4), their joint-longest winless run in the competition.
• Denmark's Yussuf Poulsen is the first player to concede two penalties in a single World Cup since Milan Dudic for Serbia in 2006.
• Australia have failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their last 12 World Cup games, the longest current run in the competition alongside Saudi Arabia.
• Mile Jedinak's penalty for Australia ended a run of nine hours and 31 minutes without conceding at international level for Denmark's goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel (571 minutes).
• 31% of goals scored by Australia at the World Cup have come from the penalty spot (four out of 13), the highest ratio among any of the teams to have scored at least 10 goals in the competition.
• Australia defender Mark Milligan completed 85 passes in this match - a record for an Australian player in a single game at a World Cup tournament.

What's next?

Denmark next face France in Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium on 26 June (15:00 BST), the same time that Australia face Peru in Sochi.

More to follow.