Will France take the lead in the table?
Tuesday marks the end of September’s World Cup qualifying fixtures for next year’s tournament. In Group D, France and Iceland will face off in a top-of-the-table clash, and a bet on a game with more than 3.5 goals will be rewarded with odds of 1.91 in the best sports betting apps.
Both nations got off to a successful start in the group stage last weekend, picking up their first three points. In all likelihood, the Northmen and Ukraine will battle it out for second place. The team from Azerbaijan is considered the underdog.
The hosts managed a 2-0 opening victory against Ukraine on Friday. A ratio of 16:8 shots on goal and 2.42 expected goals (xG) show that the victory was well deserved. The Blue and Yellows only managed an xG value of 1.34. As this group only entered the qualifiers at the weekend, the table is not yet particularly meaningful. Les Bleus are currently in second place behind their upcoming opponents.
Meanwhile, Iceland secured a surprisingly big win against Azerbaijan. The Middle Easterners were sent home with a 5-0 defeat. This put the Blues at the top of the table for now, but they must fear that this will not last long. In the match between France and Iceland, odds of 25.00 for bets on “Strákarnir okkar” at the popular bookmaker Bet-at-home clearly show the visitors’ underdog status. The last few months also do not give too much reason to hope for a sensation from the Northmen.
France – Iceland Head-to-head comparison / H2H record
The two nations have met 15 times so far, and the overall record clearly favors the hosts. The Equipe Tricolore has emerged victorious eleven times, and Iceland has never won. The teams last faced each other in the EURO 2020 qualifiers. With 4-0 and 1-0 wins, the six points went to the French, who ultimately won the group. France has been the winner in five of the last six encounters. Four of the last five direct comparisons have seen more than 3.5 goals scored, which gives us hope for a few goals on Tuesday.
France – Iceland Tip
The hosts impressed in the last Nations League, ultimately finishing third. A spectacular 4-5 defeat to Spain prevented them from reaching the final in the summer. Head coach Didier Deschamps’ team also lost to the same opponent at last year’s European Championship. The two teams met in the semi-finals, with Spain once again coming out on top. Les Bleus are difficult to beat in their own stadium. Their only defeat in the last 15 games in front of their own fans was against Italy.
Iceland’s victory over Azerbaijan on Friday was their first competitive win after three consecutive defeats. In the Nations League, Les Bleus only finished third in League B and had to face Kosovo in the relegation play-offs. A shaky defense, which conceded 13 goals, the worst record in Group 4, was a particular reason for their poor performance. Two defeats against the Kosovars sealed their final relegation to League C. The men from northern Europe have only qualified for one World Cup. In 2018, however, they were eliminated after the preliminary round.
There is not much to discuss about the favorites in this match. The French team’s select squad is a feast for the eyes of any soccer enthusiast. Munich’s Olise in particular is currently in outstanding form. However, the visitors have shown improvement in recent games, so we can at least expect a stable defense from the northerners. That’s why our choice between France and Iceland is a prediction of less than 3.5 goals at odds of 1.95 at the tested bookmaker Bet-at-home.
Alternatively, we’re picking a goalscorer bet. Michael Olise has scored five goals in his last four competitive games and we consider him a hot candidate for Tuesday as well, so betting on Olise to score in the France vs. Iceland game at odds of 2.20 is a good alternative.
