Another spectacle from the Equipe Tricolore?
The French national team has already punched its ticket for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The situation is different for Finland. The hosts still have to tremble.
Before the direct duel between Finland and France, the odds show that the visitors are favourites. It could become explosive because the Finns are still fighting for a play-off place. At the moment, however, the team is ahead of the pack.
It’s clear that one win is enough for Finland. France could rotate a bit after the furious game against Kazakhstan and give some top players a break. The Finns are speculating on that, but the second row of the Equipe Tricolore is also very well-stocked.
Finland – Statistics & current form
Finland has a good team at its disposal and is not without reason in second place ahead of Ukraine and Bosnia and Herzegovina before the last matchday. But appearances are deceptive, the Finns can still lose this place. If they lose against France and Ukraine wins at the same time, the Eastern Europeans will be in second place and take part in the play-offs.
So much for the starting position in the group. The distribution of roles on the field is much clearer. Before the match between Finland and France, the betting odds show that the hosts are the underdogs. These odds would probably be even more pronounced if there were anything else at stake for the visitors, apart from prestige.
In any case, Finland could already prove themselves very well on Saturday, as Markku Kanerva’s team celebrated an important 3:1 victory in the away match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The attack around Pukki and Forss left a very good impression, and already stands at ten goals in the seven group games.
Finland must play well and hope
In order to take something against France, Finland will have to have a very good day. However, their record in the 2021 international match year is rather mixed. Four wins in 14 matches, three of them in this qualifying phase, speak for themselves. Three of these four victories also came away from home.
However, it is not the year’s record that is decisive, but the current form. Finland won their last two competitive matches, and in the first leg in France, which they lost 2-0, the team kept up very well. On a good day, the Finns are not completely without a chance. The suspension of defender Raitala, who was sent off in the last match, is a bitter pill to swallow.
All in all, a surprise for the hosts is not completely impossible, but not necessarily realistic either. Consequently, our prediction before the match between Finland and France is that the visitors will win and Finland will have to tremble for second place in the group.
Predicted line-up of Finland:
Hradecky – Pirinen, O’Shaughnessy, Väisänen, Ajauuri, Uronen – Kamara, Schüller, Lod – Forss, Pukki
Last matches played by Finland:
World Cup Qualification UEFA 1st Round Grp. D
11/13 2021 – Bosnia and Herzegovina 1 – 3 Finland
10/12 2021 – Kazakhstan 0 – 2 Finland
10/09 2021 – Finland 1 – 2 Ukraine
09/07 2021 – France 2 – 0 Finland
09/04 2021 – Finland 1 – 0 Kazakhstan
France – Statistics & current form
France celebrated a real gala on Saturday. The French gave Kazakhstan no chance in an 8-0 win. The star of the game was Kylian Mbappe, who scored four goals. The last time Just Fontaine did that in an Equipe Tricolore shirt was in 1958. The victory also ensured France’s participation in the 2022 tournament. 15 points means a secure group win, even if the qualification phase as a whole did not go perfectly.
Didier Deschamps has not always succeeded in bringing his team’s incredible potential onto the pitch. The disappointing European Championship in the summer is an example of this. It all sounds very negative, yet the French have only lost one of their last 15 international matches. Even that defeat came only in a penalty shootout.
Moreover, the Equipe Tricolore also won the UEFA Nations League this summer. Nevertheless, the overall result is not perfect. Three draws in seven qualifying matches make the record in 2021 look anything but good, at least by the standards of the French. A win in the final qualifying match against Finland would provide a conciliatory ending.
France want tenth win 2021
If they succeed, it would be their tenth win of the 2021 international campaign, and Deschamps is likely to rest one or two players who have made plenty of appearances of late. Against Kazakhstan, however, players such as Pavard, Guendouzi, Ben Yedder or Diaby were on the bench, so that the role of favourites for the visitors will not change much, even if there is a rotation.
This year, too, the defence is a flagship. Deschamps is often accused of playing too destructively. France 2021 played to nil seven times, only conceding more than one goal in two matches. Whether with a four-man or three-man backline, whether with attacking or more ponderous full-backs, the compactness is always there.
Combined with the high individual class in the offensive area, this is a good mix. Therefore, before the match Finland vs. France, our tip is also that the visitors will win the match.
Predicted line-up of France:
Lloris – Pavard, Lenglet, Upamecano, Digne – Kanté, Tchouameni, Coman, Diaby – Ben Yedder, Griezmann
Last matches played by France:
World Cup Qualification UEFA 1st Round Grp. D
11/13 2021 – France 8 – 0 Kazakhstan
UEFA Nations League A Championship Playoff
10/10 2021 – Spain 1 – 2 France
10/07 2021 – Belgium 2 – 3 France
WM Qualification UEFA 1st Round Grp. D
09/07 2021 – France 2 – 0 Finland
09/04 2021 – Ukraine 1 – 1 France
Finland – France Direct comparison / H2H balance
The national teams of Finland and France have only faced each other in ten direct duels. France won nine of those matches, while the Finns won only one test match in November 2020. In competitive matches, the northern Europeans have always lost out to the Equipe Tricolore.
Finland – France tip
On a good day, Finland can pose problems for any opponent. However, this did not happen often in 2021, with the northern Europeans winning only four of 14 games. Now France await, a team that is not particularly consistent, but individually is arguably the best team in the world.
Despite everything, there are a lot of signs in favour of France. The guests are defensively stable most of the time, and offensively blessed with extremely high class. In addition, the pressure has fallen off. Therefore, our tip before the match Finland vs. France is that the guests will take the three points.
