David Flower
Dailysports's expert
France
Israel
One of the matches in the fifth round of Nations League Group A will take place Thursday at the Stade de France, where France hosts Israel. Here’s a preview, along with a suggested bet on total goals for this matchup.
Match Preview
The French national team had a rough start in this Nations League campaign. Didier Deschamps’ side unexpectedly fell 1-4 at home to Italy in the opening round, despite "Les Bleus" striking first. Italy managed to equalize by halftime and secured the win with decisive goals in the second half.
France, however, bounced back in subsequent matches without dropping any more points. They defeated Belgium 2-0 at home in September and claimed two solid victories in October: a 4-1 win over Israel away and a 2-1 victory over Belgium on the road. After four rounds, France holds second place in the group, trailing Italy by just one point.
Israel, meanwhile, has made its first-ever appearance in the Nations League’s elite division, though their draw has been challenging. Facing strong sides like Italy and France, and a respectable Belgian squad, Israel's tournament debut has been a tough journey. They opened with a 1-3 loss to Belgium on the road.
In the following three games, Israel was unable to pick up any points. It’s worth noting that Israel has been forced to play its home matches on neutral ground, which has impacted their performance. In two “home” games, they lost 1-2 to Italy and 1-4 to France, and in their last October match, they suffered another heavy 1-4 defeat to Italy on the road.
Probable Lineups
- France: Maignan, Koundé, Konaté, Saliba, Hernández, Tchouaméni, Camavinga, Nkunku, Olise, Dembélé, Kolo Muani
- Israel: Glazer, Finhold, Baltakha, Nachmias, Gloukh, Haziza, Gandelman, Abu Fani, Abada, Jaber, Baribo
Match Facts and Head-to-Head
- The teams have faced each other nine times, with France winning five encounters and Israel securing just one victory.
- Their last game in France was in September 2004, where the French team failed to overcome Israel.
- Both teams have scored in all four of Israel's matches in this tournament.
Prediction
Bookmakers are confident in a French victory, offering modest odds of 1.14 for a home win. Israel has shown an ability to capitalize on limited chances, with an average xG of 0.3 but still scoring in every game. A bold bet on “Total Over 3.5” goals at odds of 2.05 could be a worthwhile choice.
