
Both France and Wales still have hopes of qualifying for the knockout stage of the UEFA Women's European Championships as they prepare to meet in Group D in Switzerland on Wednesday night.
Les Bleues were very impressive in their group stage opener, beating the holders England 2-1, and another win here should all but guarantee their place in the knockouts. Winning has been very easy to come by for them, as they have now won nine games in a row in all competitions.
France have also emerged victorious in the previous four H2Hs, and will be aiming for a fifth in a row against a Wales side that have not tasted victory themselves in a total of seven matches in all competitions. That run was continued with a 3-0 defeat to the Netherlands in their group stage opener.
The tournament debutants are also the lowest-ranked team in terms of the official FIFA Women's World Rankings (30th). Nonetheless, they will do very well to get any kind of positive result against the in-form French.
How the bookies view it: France firm favourites
BoyleSports have France as overwhelming 1/16 odds-on favourites to claim all three points in this clash. A draw is as far out as 11/1 odds with the same bookmaker, while a Wales victory is a firm outsider at odds of 33/1.
Recent head-to-head: France narrow winners
These two teams last met in 2022, where France ran out as 2-1 winners. Wendy Renard, who was surprisingly not picked in the squad for this summer's Euros, opened the scoring in the first half, before Marie-Antoinette Katoto doubled Les Bleues' lead early in the second.
Sophie Ingle managed to pull one back for Wales, but ultimately the French emerged victorious. Katoto, who also opened the scoring against England last time out, can be backed at 5/2 with BoyleSports to do the same on Wednesday.
Players to watch: Cascarino could show class again
Delphine Cascarino caused Jess Carter all sorts of problems for England, as the French winger managed to grab the assist for Katoto's goal to send France on their way to victory.
Jess Fishlock should continue to operate as somewhat of a false nine for Wales, as the veteran remains a key player for her country.
Predicted lineups
Both teams could opt to keep the same if not a similar XI to the one that started each of their respective openers in the group stage. They each have no fresh concerns to report in their squads.
France Women: Peyraud-Magnin; De Almeida, Lakrar, Sombath, Bacha; Geyoro, Jean-Francoise, Karchaoui; Cascarino, Katoto, Baltimore.
Wales Women: Clark; Green, Roberts, Evans, Morgan, Woodham; Holland, James-Turner, Ladd, Cain, Fishlock.
Anything else catch the eye?
With France such huge favourites to win this one, we have to be creative in terms of the markets we explore. A France win with a -3 handicap appeals at 6/4 odds with BoyleSports, given they have scored four or more goals in two of their last five games in all competitions, and two of the previous four H2Hs.
A HT handicap for France could also appeal given they raced into a 2-0 lead at the break against England, and so the same bookmaker are offering 11/8 odds for a French HT lead with a -1 handicap.