UEFA Euro Qualifiers: France vs Ireland
Betting Odds Group B Leaders Host Ireland
Injuries Hamper Ireland’s Defense
France may have lost the 2022 World Cup final but they’ve been brilliant since. Les Bleus have won their first four UEFA Euro 2024 Qualifiers and are nearing qualification for next Summer’s tournament. On Thursday, France host Ireland as The Boys in Green will try to become the first team to score vs Les Bleus during qualifiers. Will that’s certainly possible, Ireland is short on the other end of the pitch due to some injuries and suspensions. We’ll preview the France vs Ireland betting odds for this important Group B match.
France vs Ireland
France vs Ireland 
Day/Time:
Location: Parc des Princes, Paris, France
Head-to-Head
In March, France defeated Ireland 1-0 in Dublin in the reverse fixture. Benjamin Pavard scored the game’s only goal in the 50th minute. The France vs Ireland betting odds listed France at -275 moneyline favorites in that match but failed to cover as 1.5-goal favorites. Les Bleus have won their last three matches vs Ireland and are unbeaten in this fixture since 1981.
France Still Perfect in Qualifiers
- Standings: 4-0, 1st Group B
- Next Match: Oct. 13 at Netherlands
- Key Injuries/Suspensions: D Presnel Kimpembe (Out), D Ibrahima Konate
Although France are 4-0 in Euro 2024 qualifiers so far, that doesn’t mean they’ve been a great bet, ATS. They only covered the spread in their 4-0 opening win over the Netherlands back in March. Since then, they picked up a 1-0 win over Ireland, a 3-0 win at Gibraltar, and 1-0 win vs Greece. However, betting on France to shut out their opponents has been a good bet.
Didier Deschamps has called up a standard France squad for this match, and, as always, Kylian Mbappe is Les Bleus’ key player. Mbappe has already scored four goals in Euro qualifiers, and he’s also Ligue 1’s leading scorer, with five goals. France’s all-time leading scorer Olivier Giroud is also in the side, along with Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann. Mbappe, Giroud, and Griezmann are the only active France players to score more than 10 international goals after Karim Benzema’s international retirement following the World Cup.
Raphael Varane, Hugo Lloris and Steve Mandanda also retired at the end of last year. That means Mike Maignan is now France’s number-one goalkeeper. Deschamps has a handful of solid defensive options at his disposal, even with Presnel Kimpembe and Ibrahima Konate out due to injury. France are a bit thin in midfield, with just five called up. Adrien Rabiot, Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga, Youssouf Fofana and Boubacar Kamara are in contention to start in the middle of the park.
Crucial Pair of Games for Ireland
- Standings: 1-2, 3rd Group B
- Next Match: Sep. 10 vs. Netherlands
- Key Injuries/Suspensions: D Seamus Coleman (Out), D John Egan (Doubtful), D Matt Doherty (Suspended)
This is a crucial pair of matches for Ireland, as they likely need at least one win to stay in the race for Euro 2024 qualification. They’re currently 1-2 both straight up and against the spread. Their qualifying Euro 2024 schedule features a trip to France on Thursday. Then, they host the Netherlands on Sunday in Dublin. With another match vs. Greece remaining, Ireland find themselves in one of the most difficult qualifying Euro 2024 groups.
To make things more complicated, key player Matt Doherty is suspended for the match vs France. He also missed the 2-1 loss at Greece, which was a match that Ireland was banking on getting a result from. Ireland still have some talented players in their squad. Teenage striker Evan Ferguson is coming off his first-ever Premier League hat trick. Meanwhile, Nathan Collins is carving a role out for himself in the center of Brentford’s defense.
With fellow defender John Egan’s injury status for this match unclear, new Nottingham Forest signing Andrew Omobamidele could have a role to play. Ireland are a bit short on creativity, but they do have a +1 goal difference through three matches.
Match Analysis and Odds
There is simply no excuse for Didier Deschamps’ France to not go on and win this match. Les Bleus could potentially clinch qualification to next Summer’s Euros with a win here. In the reverse fixture, Ireland did not make things easy for France. Expect Ireland to play five at the back and try to make France break them down.
Currently, the France vs Ireland betting odds price France as -455 moneyline favorites for Thursday’s match. France -1.5, -2 shows even odds as Ireland +1.5, +2 displays -130 odds. It’s going to be a challenging task for Ireland to shut down the likes of Ousmane Dembele and Kylian Mbappe, but they could cover again if they’re able to limit France’s options in transition.
Just one of the last eight meetings between these teams have finished with three or more goals. Here, under three goals sit at -141 odds as a slow pace is expected for this one. Ireland are +1500 underdogs and have not won on French soil since 1937. Meanwhile, a draw comes in at +475 odds for this one.
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