France’s pre-World Cup trip to the United States continues with their second and final friendly match, this time against Colombia at the Northwest Stadium in Landover.
Both national teams were involved in tough clashes earlier this week, with Colombia losing 2-1 to Croatia, while France defeated Brazil by the same score in a match that was anything but friendly.
In France's fixture, we saw a total of seven yellow cards and even a red card for Dayot Upamecano, though that didn't stop them from scoring a second goal and winning the match. Overall, it was a strong performance both in attack and in defence.
Colombia didn't play badly against Croatia, taking the lead as early as the second minute, but they held onto it for only four minutes. They created some chances in the remaining minutes, but never came close to converting any.
Given the performances of both teams, it’s hard to imagine how Colombia would fare against one of the best teams in the world, even in a friendly setting like this.
How the bookies view it: Les Bleus with significant advantage
France are the favourites in the odds, just as they were in the match against Brazil, but this time the margin is much wider.
For now, you can back Colombia at 17/5, while France are available at 7/10. If you think the symbolic hosts have a chance to at least draw, you can take that at 3/1.
Recent head-to-head: Eight years since Colombia last beat France
Exactly eight years have passed since Colombia's last match against France, which Los Cafeteros won 3-2 in March 2018.
Before that, the two teams faced off in 2008 and 2003, with France winning both matches 1-0.
Players to watch: Mbappe a goal away from record
Kylian Mbappe’s goal against Brazil means he is now one away from Olivier Giroud’s all-time record for France. The difference is that Giroud reached 57 goals in 137 appearances, while Mbappe has a chance to do it on his 96th if he scores against Colombia.
The 27-year-old hasn’t had the best start to the year, missing five matches with a knee injury in February and March. His midweek goal was his first since the start of February, so he must be eager to regain his form.
Backed a player to find the net? Check our Goalscorer Betting guide to see how the markets work and where to find value.
Probable line-ups
Colombia: Vargas, Cabal, Lucumi, Sanchez, Munoz, Rodriguez, Arias, Rios, Lerma, Diaz, Suarez
France: Maignan, Digne, Lacroix, Konate, Kalulu, Rabiot, Kante, Olise, Cherki, Ekitike, Mbappe
Anything else catch the eye?
Given the high-scoring matches both national teams have played during recent international breaks, there’s no reason not to expect more of the same in this match.
Especially considering Les Bleus’ phenomenal form and their performance against Brazil, we can expect a strong showing from France. Even playing a man down didn’t stop them from sealing the match with a second goal.
If Colombia continue to fail to convert their chances as they did against Croatia, the two-time world champions will leave the U.S. with two wins.
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