Preview Netherlands vs France (Score Prediction), Mbappe Returns Awaiting Goal Rain

Date and Time: 02:00, June 22, 2024
Venue: Red Bull Arena, Leipzig
Competition: Group D – Euro 2024
Broadcasting Channels: VTV2, VTV3, THVL1, THVL2, HTV7, HTV Sports

Betting Odds:

Asian Handicap:
- First half: 0:0.5
- Full match: 0.5
Total Goals:
- Full match: 2.5
- First half: 1
Corner Kicks:
- First half: 4
- Full match: 9

Team News

Netherlands: The Dutch squad will be at full strength, despite missing key midfielders De Jong and Teun Koopmeiners due to pre-tournament injuries.

France: France faces a setback with star forward Mbappe sidelined due to a broken nose suffered in their opener against Austria. Additionally, Giroud is doubtful with a groin injury.

Expected Line-ups

Netherlands:
Verbruggen, Dumfries, Van Dijk, Ake, De Vrij, Schouten, Veerman, Simons, Reijnders, Gakpo, Depay

France:
Maignan, Kounde, Saliba, Konate, Hernandez, Rabiot, Kante, Dembele, Griezmann, Coman, Thuram

Form and Head-to-Head

Head-to-Head:
In their last five meetings, France has dominated with four wins, while the Netherlands has managed just one victory.

Recent Form:

Netherlands: 4 wins, 1 loss in their last 5 matches.
France: 3 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss in their last 5 matches.

Match Analysis

Both the Netherlands and France kicked off Euro 2024 with wins, yet their performances left much to be desired. The Netherlands narrowly defeated Poland 2-1, overcoming an early deficit thanks to individual brilliance despite a largely ineffective attack. The Dutch controlled 65% possession and had 20 shots, but only 4 were on target, highlighting their offensive struggles.

Similarly, France labored to a 1-0 victory over Austria, relying on an own goal for their win. Their shooting accuracy was poor, with only 3 out of 14 shots on target. Despite an Expected Goals (xG) of 2.09, they managed just one goal, and now face further challenges without Mbappe, who missed a clear chance before his injury.

Expectation of Goals

Historically, matches between the Netherlands and France tend to be high-scoring affairs. Only 4 of their last 30 encounters have ended in a draw, and both teams usually adopt an attacking approach. Given their respective goal-scoring records, a draw seems unlikely.

Since Euro 2008, the Netherlands have managed to keep a clean sheet against France only once, with both sides favoring a free-flowing, offensive style. This has resulted in at least 3 goals in 4 of their last 5 meetings. The absence of Mbappe, however, means that France will rely on the likes of Coman, Kolo Muani, Dembele, and Thuram to make up for the loss.

Predictions

SportsMole: Netherlands 1-2 France
Whoscored: Netherlands 2-2 France
Our Prediction: Netherlands 2-3 France

Key Statistics

5 out of the last 7 matches between the Netherlands and France have seen over 2.5 goals.
Only 4 of their previous 30 meetings ended in a draw (15 wins for France, 11 for the Netherlands).
The Netherlands have lost 7 of their last 8 matches against France.
France has scored in 13 consecutive matches across all competitions.
The Netherlands led at halftime in 45% of their games, compared to 70% for France.
The Netherlands recorded 21 shots against Poland – their highest in a major tournament match (World Cup/Euro) since 2012 against Denmark (32).

This highly anticipated Euro 2024 clash promises an exciting display of attacking football, with both teams eager to secure a definitive result. Fans can look forward to a potential goal fest as two of Europe’s heavyweights battle it out in Leipzig.