AUTHOR: Star Sports Content

STAR PREVIEW: France v England

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Stade De France plays host to the international friendly tonight between France and England – a head to head that has seen under 2.5 goals eight times from the last 10 and it’s hard to think tonight will be any different.

Gareth Southgate’s England continue to flatter to deceive for my money and came so close to the calamity of turning a 1-0 lead into a 2-1 defeat against Scotland on Saturday – thankfully Harry Kane spared the blushes.

This is England’s last match until September when they play Malta and then Slovakia in further World Cup qualifiers.

France suffered something of a shock 2-1 defeat at the hands of Sweden on Friday despite taking the lead in that game.

Perhaps the most exciting feature of tonight’s game will be the video assistant referee.

It’s the first senior England fixture with a video assistant referee.

The use of VARs is being trialled by world governing body Fifa and could yet feature in next year’s World Cup.

They are used to decide on:

  • Goals where there may have been a violation or offside missed during the build-up
  • Penalty decisions
  • Red cards
  • Mistaken identity

Surely all punters will welcome this use of technology which will go a long way to writing the wrongs of patently poor decisions. The technology is accepted and works well in other sports and with so much at stake in football it can surely be only a matter of when rather than if.

Harry Kane remains captain but there could be plenty of rotation going on from both sides. Burnley’s Tom Heaton and Stoke’s Jack Butland will play a half each in goal for England.

France v England
Friendly
20:00 ITV / ITV HD

HEAD TO HEAD RECORD
(Maximum 10 matches)
Nov 2015 INTERNATIONAL England 2-0 France
Jun 2012 EURO CHAMPIONSHIPS France 1-1 England
Nov 2010 INTERNATIONAL England 1-2 France
Mar 2008 INTERNATIONAL France 1-0 England
Jun 2004 EURO CHAMPIONSHIPS France 2-1 England
Sep 2000 INTERNATIONAL France 1-1 England
Feb 1999 INTERNATIONAL England 0-2 France
Jun 1997 INTERNATIONAL France 0-1 England
Jun 1992 EURO CHAMPIONSHIPS England 0-0 France
Feb 1992 INTERNATIONAL England 2-0 France

In terms of a bet tonight friendlies are notoriously hard. France look too short and over 2.5 goals has plenty of expectation built in.

I’ll stick with the DRAW at around 23/10 with Star Sports.


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