France Women will be looking to secure a spot in the Women’s European Championship knockout rounds when they face Wales Women in Wednesday’s meeting in St. Gallen.
Meanwhile, Wales are aiming to keep their knockout hopes alive after falling to defeat in their opening game against the Netherlands.
Match preview
France, who reached the 2022 semi-finals, are bidding to reach the quarter-finals at a fifth consecutive European Championships.
They are already in a strong position to achieve that feat after they produced an impressive display to record a 2-1 victory over England on matchday one.
Marie-Antoinette Katoto opened the scoring in the 36th minute, before Chelsea’s Sandy Baltimore quickly added another to give France a two-goal lead at the break.
Keira Walsh pulled a goal back in the closing stages of the contest, but France ultimately saw out the final moments to take three points off the reigning European champions, leaving them level with group leaders Netherlands.
Laurent Bonadei's side know that they will secure a top-two spot with a game to play if they beat Wales and the Netherlands avoid defeat in the group’s other game against England.
They will certainly fancy their chances of collecting maximum points, having won each of their previous nine matches since losing to Spain in December.
Wales are competing in their first-ever major tournament after successfully negotiating their way through the qualifying playoffs, including a 3-2 aggregate victory in the final round against the Republic of Ireland.
Unfortunately for the Dragons, their first experience of the European Championships resulted in a heavy 3-0 defeat against 2017 winners, the Netherlands.
Vivianne Miedema broke the deadlock in first-half stoppage time, before Victoria Pelova and Esmee Brugts found the net in the second period to condemn Wales to a third consecutive defeat.
The Dragons have now gone seven matches without a win since they beat Ireland in the second leg of the qualifying playoffs in December (D2, L5).
They have struggled to offer a real attacking threat in their winless run, having failed to score more than one goal in any of their previous seven outings.
Wales will have their work cut out to trouble a strong France side, knowing they will be eliminated with a game to spare if they lose and the Netherlands avoid defeat against England.
France Women Women's European Championship form:
France Women form (all competitions):
Wales Women Women's European Championship form:
Wales Women form (all competitions):
Team News
France will have to assess defender Griedge Mbock, who was forced to sit out the win over Wales due to a calf problem.
Maelle Lakrar and Alice Sombath will continue in central defence if Mbock is unable to prove her fitness in time for Wednesday’s fixture.
Katoto will continue to lead the line for Les Bleues, with the striker looking to score in a third consecutive game for her country.
As for Wales, Rhian Wilkinson confirmed after the defeat to France that Ceri Holland was forced off in the latter stages with cramp rather than any major injury.
Holland should retain her place in the side for Wednesday’s contest, although Wilkinson could make at least one alteration to her lineup, with Ella Powell in contention to start after featuring as a half-time substitute on Saturday.
Wales' all-time record goalscorer Jess Fishlock will be among those looking to score her country's first goal at a major tournament.
France Women possible starting lineup:
Peyraud-Magnin; De Almeida, Lakrar, Sombath, Bacha; Karchaoui, Jean-Francois, Geyoro; Baltimore, Cascarino, Katoto
Wales Women possible starting lineup:
Clark; Green, Roberts, Evans, Woodham; James, Fishlock, Ladd; Holland, Powell, Cain
We say: France Women 3-0 Wales Women
Wales will be desperate to put up a strong showing following Saturday's defeat to the Netherlands, but we think they will struggle to trouble a France side that is stacked with quality, which is why we believe Les Bleues will ease to all three points in Wednesday's fixture.
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