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Match Preview for France v Ukraine
France can secure their place at next summer’s World Cup when they welcome Ukraine to the Parc des Princes on Thursday night.
After a five-match unbeaten run, Didier Deschamps’s side are in control of Group D and need just one more win to confirm qualification for 2026’s tournament.
Les Bleus were held to a 2-2 draw by Iceland in their last outing, a result that ended their winning streak but did little to dent their position at the top of the group.
Deschamps will be eager to see a sharper performance from his players in Paris, particularly in attack, where Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe continues to be the driving force.
The 25-year-old has scored 18 goals in 16 appearances this season and remains France’s key figure in the final third.
Ukraine, meanwhile, have steadied their campaign after losing to France earlier in qualifying. Serhiy Rebrov’s men are unbeaten in their last three Group D matches, earning valuable wins over Iceland and Azerbaijan to keep their hopes of automatic qualification alive.
Team news for France v Ukraine
France will be without several important players for this international break. Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue both miss out through injury, while Tottenham striker Randal Kolo Muani withdrew after suffering a jaw problem.
Midfielders Adrien Rabiot and Aurelien Tchouameni are also sidelined, creating an opportunity for N’Golo Kante to return to the national setup after impressing in Saudi Arabia.
Manchester City’s Rayan Cherki has been called up and could feature, alongside Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta.
Ukraine have their own absences to contend with. Roma forward Artem Dovbyk misses out due to a hip injury, while Volodymyr Brazhko is unavailable after experiencing muscle discomfort.
These setbacks could see Rebrov rely more heavily on Ruslan Malinovskyi, whose goals have been vital in keeping Ukraine’s qualification hopes alive.
Expected line-ups for France v Ukraine
France: Maignan; Kounde, Saliba, Upamecano, Digne; Kone, Kante; Barcola, Olise, Mbappe; Mateta.
Ukraine: Trubin; Konoplya, Zabarnyi, Matviyenko, Mykolenko; Shaparenko, Malinovskyi; Yaremchuk, Ocheretko, Voloshyn; Vanat.
How to watch France v Ukraine: TV channel, online stream
The match will be broadcast live in the UK on Amazon Prime, with coverage beginning shortly before kick-off at 7:45pm.
The stats for France v Ukraine
- France are unbeaten in their last five matches across all competitions (W4 D1)
- Les Bleus have won four of their last five home games, keeping three clean sheets
- France have not lost at home since September 2024
- Kylian Mbappe has scored in six of his last seven international appearances
- Ukraine are unbeaten in their last three World Cup qualifiers (W2 D1)
- Zbirna have avoided defeat in their last four competitive away games
- Ruslan Malinovskyi has scored three goals in two qualifiers this year
- Ukraine are aiming for three consecutive competitive wins for the first time since 2019
Prediction
Deschamps’s men will be eager to seal qualification in front of their home supporters and are unlikely to let the opportunity slip.
Despite Ukraine’s recent improvement, France’s depth and home form should prove to be too much. Expect a controlled performance and a comfortable win for the hosts.
Prediction: France 2-0 Ukraine
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: 101greatgoals.com
