FRANCE vs. HONDURAS
Date: June 15, 2014
Time: 3:00 p.m. EDT
Venue: Estadio Beira-Rio, Porto Alegre
Overall Head-to-Head Record (W-L-T): N/A
Last Match: N/A
Line: France -375
Group E Preview here.
Starting Lineups posted separately once they're announced.
Team Profiles
World Ranking: France (17th), Honduras (33rd)
Managers: Didier Deschamps (FRA), Luis Fernando Suarez (HON)
Captains: Hugo Lloris (FRA), Noel Valladares (HON)
World Cup Appearances: 14 (FRA), 3 (HON)
Best Finish: France (Champions, 1998), Honduras (Group Stage, Last in 2010)
Qualifying Records: France (5-2-3, GF: 18, GA: 8), Honduras (7-4-5, GF: 25, GA: 15)
Pre-Tournament Game Results
France
June 1st - France tied Paraguay 1-1
June 8th - France def. Jamaica 8-0
Honduras
May 29th - Turkey def. Honduras 2-0
June 1st - Israel def. Honduras 4-2
June 7th - Honduras tied England 0-0
Rosters
Injuries/Discipline
France: N/A
Honduras: N/A
Overview
France and Honduras enter their first World Cup match on two very different paths. Despite the loss of star player Franck Ribery, France are flying high having outscored opponents 13-1 in their 3 pre-tournament matches and look nothing like the team that mutinied in the last World Cup.
Honduras on the other hand enter on a 3-game winless streak and have received widespread criticism for their overly physical play in their exhibition matches.
Honduras will be looking to follow in the footsteps of their CONCACAF partner Costa Rica by upsetting a highly rated foe. But this is a French defence that is far more cohesive and organized then the debacle that was Uruguay.
This is a French team with very few holes in their lineup. They have reliable goalscorers up front, box-to-box midfielders in the middle and a young but very talented defensive backfield led by captain Hugo Lloris. Honduras on the other hand struggled in qualifying to manufacture goals (minus a debacle with Canada) and get little support for their forwards from the rest of the field. It's a defence that has difficulty withstanding any pressure as well.
It's another first-time meeting between teams and while anything is possible in this World Cup, it would be the upset of the tournament if France don't come away with 3 points from this contest.
Personnel
In the French Third: Bengtson and Costly will draw similarities to Campbell and Ruiz who torched Uruguay for Costa Rica. But Costa Rica had support from elsewhere and France is one of the better defensive teams in the tournament with their current lineup. Advantage: France
In the Midfield: Honduras are poor at keeping possession in the midfield while France love to work the ball in midfield so they can probe forward for scoring chances. Much higher quality of skill as well on the French side. Advantage: France
In the Honduran Third: Honduras are very physical on the defensive end and can draw more then their fair share of fouls and cards. This will hurt them severely against a French team that can punish them on set plays. Advantage: France
Goalkeeping: Hugo Lloris is in the top class of goalkeepers in the world. Up against a quality keeper in Valladares, but a lack of size from Valladares has always hurt him internationally. Advantage: France
France will win if:
They compete physically with Honduras and don't allow Bengtson and Costly room to operate in the attacking midfield. France shouldn't see their goal-scoring prowess fall apart against this Honduran defence. But Bengtson/Costly are as dangerous as any forward pairing in the tournament, they just don't have the support others do. Control those two defensively and France will come out victorious.
Honduras will win if:
They can keep France outside of their penalty area and limit offensive chances to distance. France will control possession and have the bulk of offensive chances in this match. Keep them away from goal, limit the exposure of Valladares in goal and hope that Bengtson and Costly can create some magic in the offensive end.
Prediction
Honduras pre-tournament games were all against European opponents and none of them went well. They could not hold up against the cohesive passing attacks of their opponents and the defensive backfields were far too organized and knew exactly how to close down Honduran forwards. France is a better team then all of those opponents as well. Will not be a repeat of Costa Rica/Uruguay.
France 3-0 Honduras
Honduras pre-tournament games were all against European opponents and none of them went well. They could not hold up against the cohesive passing attacks of their opponents and the defensive backfields were far too organized and knew exactly how to close down Honduran forwards. France is a better team then all of those opponents as well. Will not be a repeat of Costa Rica/Uruguay.
France 3-0 Honduras
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