On paper this fixture looks like France’s golden ticket to the top of Group D, with Sweden already thinking of home after two defeats in as many games.
The French have delivered two excellent second half displays in the competition so far, having started slowly against both England and the Ukraine, and their quality is undeniable. Samir Nasri will likely continue in a central role and with Franck Ribéry, Jérémy Ménez and Karim Benzema as options ahead of him, the potential for goals against a rickety Swedish backline looks promising.
A far cry from the Lars Lagerback days of solidity first, this Sweden team revolves around the attacking talents of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but looks open to exploitation at the back. Five goals conceded to date is second only to Ireland’s nine against, with the toughest game of the group to play.
Meanwhile the French have extended their unbeaten streak to 23 games – including 16 victories – and can boast the most accurate shooting accuracy in the tournament so far. They have also conceded just two shots on target in the group stages so look primed to complete Sweden’s miserable Euro 2012.
At the time of writing you’ll find 5/6 for France to score Over 1.5 goals (2 or more) at Bet365 while the 2/1 for a win to nil on offer from Ladbrokes also appeals. This game also looks perfect for in:play pickings, as we expect Sweden’s battle for pride to fade as time passes – and particularly once the first goal goes in.
If France repeat their less adventurous style of the previous first halves, they should creep back towards the even money mark, where they should be snapped up to beat the already eliminated Scandinavians.
