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Friday 5pm - Ukraine v France - Preview/Match Thread
Henry Irving
Posts: 85,322
FIFA Rankings
Ukraine 52 France 14
Last Time Out
Despite being on a Huddersfield like unbeaten run and having far more possession and shots against the English, the French came away from their opening game with just a point. For all their movement and tidy passing they failed to trouble the English goal that often. They were also quite happy to "put it about a bit" to block English runners, something that is likely to draw more fouls and free-kicks against the home side.
Ukraine turned round a one goal deficit to Sweden with two Shevchenko goals much to the relief of the UK commentators who are always much more comfortable fixating on players they have heard of (ie have played in the premiership). But Sweden ran the co-hosts very close and the home side looked vulnerable at the back.
Predictions
Ukraine have the luxury of topping the group and home advantage while France will not wish to go into the last match without a win. Expect to see France again dominate possession but this time turning that into goals. Dodgy pen will rescue the hosts. Ukraine 2 France 2
Ones to Watch
Ukraine: Andriy Yarmolenko - The "new Shevchenko" by all accounts. A goal scoring left winger/forward
France: Super Yann. That's M'vila not Kermorgant. Left on the bench in the last game Blanc may call on this defensive midfielder to bring more decisive passing to their midfield
Odds
France – 11/10
Ukraine – 3/1
Draw – 9/4
Ukraine 52 France 14
Last Time Out
Despite being on a Huddersfield like unbeaten run and having far more possession and shots against the English, the French came away from their opening game with just a point. For all their movement and tidy passing they failed to trouble the English goal that often. They were also quite happy to "put it about a bit" to block English runners, something that is likely to draw more fouls and free-kicks against the home side.
Ukraine turned round a one goal deficit to Sweden with two Shevchenko goals much to the relief of the UK commentators who are always much more comfortable fixating on players they have heard of (ie have played in the premiership). But Sweden ran the co-hosts very close and the home side looked vulnerable at the back.
Predictions
Ukraine have the luxury of topping the group and home advantage while France will not wish to go into the last match without a win. Expect to see France again dominate possession but this time turning that into goals. Dodgy pen will rescue the hosts. Ukraine 2 France 2
Ones to Watch
Ukraine: Andriy Yarmolenko - The "new Shevchenko" by all accounts. A goal scoring left winger/forward
France: Super Yann. That's M'vila not Kermorgant. Left on the bench in the last game Blanc may call on this defensive midfielder to bring more decisive passing to their midfield
Odds
France – 11/10
Ukraine – 3/1
Draw – 9/4
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Comments
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I fancy Ukraine for this one and to qualify comfortably, 2-10
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France to win 3-0 (Benzema hat-tick)0
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I agree with the possibility of Ukraine getting a dodgy penalty but Ukraine have an even more Dodgy keeper!
France may need 3 to win it but a couple of half decent efforts from both Nasri and Benzema should seal a win.
I think a France win is a better bet than an English one unfortunately (but due largely to my estimation of the opposition's defences).0 -
Ukraine will play with passion, France will attempt to be nonchalant et debonaire .. France has the skill, Ukraine the desire. A hard game to predict. but ....
Ukraine 0 v France 20 -
2-1 France0
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Ukraine V France Score 1-2 ( 9-1 Stan James)
Benzema to score anytime ( 7-4 Betfair)
Evra to be shown a card ( 3-1 Betfair )0 -
Easy French win0
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2-0 France
Would love a draw though.0 -
France are odds on in most places now to win. It seems that the England to win outright price is going out by quite a margin (if you are betting big).0
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Ukraine in their own back yard will be difficult to beat and it all depends, rather like in the rugby, which French side turns up.
I can see Ukraine winning.0 -
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Being the first game I think France gave us more respect than we probably deserved and our defence is clearly better than the Ukrainians. Coupled with a very dodgy keeper as Jimmy says above I expect France to get at least 2.
Yarmolenko did look lively though so can see him getting one back for them.0 -
Hellfire and brimstone! This game will be cancelled at this rate0
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Game suspended0
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Wow...match suspended...torrential rain, lightning strikes all round stadium!!0
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Good. On train going home so won't miss so much0
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No chance of them coming out right now, the amount of standing water there is I can see them postponing it until tomorrow0
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It won't restart before 6pm they just said & maybe not then or not at all. Still fork lightning coming down & pitch drenched.0
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it looked like close encounters of 3rd kind - the roof of the stadium made it look like a UFO coming in to land.0
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Game will restart at 6pm.0
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Looks really waterlogged to me....0
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This is ridiculous. EUFA knew that Ukraine had weather and they still went ahead. If that had been English weather.......0 -
One unfortunate side-effect of all this is repeated views of Thomas Brolin in his "expert" role. It's a gross sight, I swear he's put on weight even since the last time he was on a couple of days ago.
I think I might have to switch to the BBC0 -
Huh, Henry didn't tell us that this might happen in his preview.0
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You just know they'll put the sprinklers on at half time.......0
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This lot clearly wasn't at Yeovil Town a couple of years ago if they think this is bad.0
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Well 2-0 France. England need to win.0
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The storm was the most exciting bit.
Thought Menez was never going to score - until he did.
Ukrainian keeper looks like a young, Roy Chubby Brown.0 -
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'I remember you. You were 'ugly bloke' once on TFI Friday, weren't you?'
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They're team-mates, weird incident.
'I remember you. You were 'ugly bloke' once on TFI Friday, weren't you?'0
