France vs Netherlands
Competition: World Cup Qualification Europe
Date: 31 August 2017
Kick-off Time: 19:45 GMT
Venue: Stade de France, Paris.
Competition: World Cup Qualification Europe
Date: 31 August 2017
Kick-off Time: 19:45 GMT
Venue: Stade de France, Paris.
Winning in Amsterdam, Netherlands, might mean a direct
qualification for the French team for Russia as their schedule by the end of qualifying
cycle is far less demanding than of the Swedes, who are positioned above
the Tricolours only due to having better goal difference. It is true that in
the previous round the Swedes won at home coach Deschamps players by 2-1,
which was their first defeat in this qualifications but in the meantime
the French won too although it was a friendly match with England 3-2.
Of
course, that should raise their self-confidence before continuation of
the qualification especially as they have no more place for mistakes if
they want to finish as the first in the group. Regarding the Tricolour
team that will face the Netherlands, Deschamps cannot count on injured
defenders: Varane and Mendy, and winger Payet, and besides he left out
from the rooster midfielder: Bakayoko and Sissoko, forwards Martial and
Dembele, as well as from before written off Benzema.
28/03/17 France 0 – 2 Spain
02/06/17 France 5 – 0 Paraguay
09/06/17 Sweden 2 – 1 France
13/06/17 France 3 – 2 England
France last 5 matches:
25/03/17 Luxembourg 1 – 3 France28/03/17 France 0 – 2 Spain
02/06/17 France 5 – 0 Paraguay
09/06/17 Sweden 2 – 1 France
13/06/17 France 3 – 2 England
The Dutch team has a fair deal of
problems in this qualification and besides home defeat to France they
lost to Bulgaria away two rounds ago, while out of four remaining games, they won three and drew away with Sweden. In the end that might
not be enough to end up even on the 2nd place, which leads to the
play-off, given they have three points fewer than the French and Swedes
four rounds before the end.
On top of it, they have this difficult
away match in Paris, although their self-confidence has increased a bit
in the meantime after they won friendlies with:the Ivory Coast, Morocco and Luxembourg by high 5-0 in the previous qualifying round. Right
because of that coach, Advocaat, has announced that will not make too many
changes in the starting line-up, especially as defenders: Karsdorp, van
Dijk and Bruma, and midfielder Klaassen are out of action because of injuries.
Netherlands last 5 matches:
25/03/17 Bulgaria 2 – 0 Netherlands28/03/17 Netherlands 1 – 2 Italy
31/05/17 Morocco 1 – 2 Netherlands
04/06/17 Netherlands 5 – 0 Cote d’Ivoire
09/06/17 Netherlands 5 – 0 Luxembourg