The stage is set for a heavyweight clash on Tuesday evening as France lock horns with Sweden in what promises to be a one sided affair under the lights. With kickoff pencilled in for around nine o’clock local time, the French are widely tipped to boss proceedings from the first whistle and the bookmakers are not shy about making them short priced favourites to get the job done in regulation time. Sweden on the other hand are cast in the role of stubborn underdogs expected to soak up pressure and nick the odd chance on the break if they are lucky.
Team Form
France head into the fixture in excellent nick after a string of convincing results that have seen them rattle in goals at both ends of the park. Their attack has looked sharp with pacey wide men stretching defences while the midfield engine room provides the perfect platform for the forwards to thrive. Sweden by contrast have struggled to find consistency and have been guilty of shipping soft goals in recent outings which only adds to the sense that they face an uphill battle here.
- France have won four of their last five matches with an average of three goals scored per game
- Sweden have kept just one clean sheet in their previous six fixtures
- Mbappe leads the scoring charts with seven goals in the current campaign
Tactical Analysis
Expect France to dominate possession and play with real width using the likes of Mbappe Dembele and Olise to stretch the Swedish backline and create overloads in the final third. Sweden will likely sit deep in a compact shape looking to frustrate and hit on the counter but their lack of firepower makes a clean sheet unlikely. The game should be open enough for the hosts to grab an early goal and then control the tempo without needing to go all out for a thrashing.
- France strengths include blistering pace on the wings and clinical finishing inside the box
- Sweden weaknesses centre around poor set piece defending and limited creativity from midfield
- Key battle will be Mbappe versus the Swedish centre backs who have looked shaky against quick forwards
Betting Proposal
While a straight win for France looks nailed on the value lies in backing them to win by a comfortable margin without going overboard on the margin. The Swedes are capable of grabbing a goal of their own so a measured approach makes more sense than expecting a total demolition. The most appealing angle therefore is France to win with a one and a half goal advantage which captures their superiority while acknowledging the visitors may still nick one.
Betting Proposal: France to win with a handicap of minus one and a half goals at odds of 1.77
