A repeat of the Euro 2016 quarterfinal sees France and Iceland again square off in Saint-Denis tonight. That game, won 5-2 by France, was probably the highest point this decade for Icelandic football, which has tapered off badly in the last twelve months. They went fifteen games without a win before finally managing one against lowly Andorra earlier this month. Iceland had a disastrous 2018 World Cup, finishing bottom of their group, but will be bidding to reach their second successive Euros and taking points off the world champions in Paris will see them take a huge step towards that aim.
France beat Moldova 4-1 to kick off their qualifying campaign. Bar Antoine Griezmann, none of the other Les Bleus players really got into top gear, and they really did not have to as France completed an easy win. They’ll have to raise their game against Iceland though- the Nordic nation are probably France’s biggest threat in Group H, having drawn 2-2 with Les Bleus last year.
Didier Deschamps intended to start with Kingsley Coman against Moldova but the Bayern winger was a late withdrawal, forcing Juventus star Blaise Matuidi to be moved into the starting XI in Chisinau. Deschamps is expected to keep faith with the same eleven that did the business in Moldova, although a section of the French press reckon Moussa Sissoko could be in line for a surprise start.
France player ratings vs Moldova (from the French press)
France v Iceland H2H last five games
France 2-2 Iceland October 2018
France 5-2 Iceland July 2016
France 3-2 Iceland May 2012
France 2-2 Iceland October 1999
Iceland 1-1 France September 1998
Recent history appears to suggest that there will be plenty of goals in this fixture, and both teams to score is currently being quoted at 29/20. Iceland are huge 22/1 outsiders for this game at Saint-Denis, with a draw at 7/1. Use Compare Betting Sites if you think Erik Hamren’s men can come away with points from the Stade de France tonight. No game between these two sides played in France has ever ended goalless.
Iceland, as mentioned before, have struggled badly in the last twelve months. Burnley star Johann Berg Gudmundsson is out injured, which places greater pressure on the likes of Gylfi Sigurdsson and Alfred Finnbogason. France on the other hand have lost only one of their last eighteen international fixtures- a Nations League reverse against Netherlands last November.
France last five games
Moldova 1-4 France
France 1-0 Uruguay
Netherlands 2-0 France
France 2-1 Germany
France 2-2 Iceland
Iceland last five games
Andorra 0-2 Iceland
Iceland 0-0 Estonia
Sweden 2-2 Iceland
Qatar 2-2 Iceland
Belgium 2-0 Iceland
In thirteen previous attempts, Iceland have never got the better of Les Bleus. Will they able to break that duck in Saint-Denis? The referee for this game is Istvan Kovacs- France beat Armenia 3-0 in a friendly in 2014 in his only previous game in charge of the national side.
France v Iceland kicks off at 19.45