Sports Mole previews Tuesday’s Olympic Games Men’s Football clash between New Zealand and France, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
New Zealand will be looking to secure a place in the quarter-finals at the Paris 2024 Olympics when they take on host nation France in Group A on Tuesday.
Having picked up two wins in their two games so far, Les Blues will be looking to maintain their 100% record and we anticipate a thrilling group finale at the Stade de Marseille.
Match preview
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Matthew Garbett and Ben Waine both found the back of the net as New Zealand picked up a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Guinea at the Allianz Riviera last Wednesday to kick off their Olympics football quest on a high.
However, Darren Bazeley‘s men were sent back down to earth on Saturday morning as they suffered a 4-1 thrashing at the hands of the United States when both sides squared off at the Stade de Marseille.
Having lost their opening game, the USA stormed into a four-goal lead courtesy of goals from Djordje Mihailovic, Walker Zimmerman, Gianluca Busio and Paxten Aaronson before Jesse Randall grabbed a 78th-minute consolation.
While a win on Tuesday guarantees their last-eight spot, New Zealand will need to be at their best against a star-studded French side who are unbeaten in each of their last five matches in July, claiming four wins and one draw.
A point will also see the South Pacific nation secure consecutive knockout-stage appearances at the Games, but only should Guinea cause an upset and claim victory against the USA in the other group fixture.
New Zealand had never made it past the group stages until they secured-placed finish in Group B of the 2020 Summer Olympics, but were dumped out in the quarter-finals following a penalty-shootout defeat against Japan.
On the other hand, two wins from the opening two games in Group A has seen France secure a place in the Olympic football quarter-finals for the first time since 1996
A nervy 1-0 victory over Guinea on Saturday evening was enough to see France break the 28-year spell as Freiburg man Kiliann Sildillia struck deep into the second half to see off Guinea at the Allianz Riviera.
The host nation were spared their blushes after Abdoulaye Toure‘s 45th-minute opener was ruled out for offside after a lengthy VAR review before they took a deserved lead in the 75th minute courtesy of Sildillia.
Prior to that, France stormed to an emphatic 3-0 victory over the USA in the Group A curtain-raiser on July 24, with Alexandre Laccazette, Michael Olise and Loic Balde getting on the scoresheet in a second-half rout.
With former marksman Thierry Henry in the dugout, Les Blues have stamped their names as firm favourites to go all the way as they look to secure a second gold medal at the Games.
France first clinched gold in 1984, when they edged out Egypt and Yugoslavia before securing a 2-0 victory over Brazil in the final thanks to second-half goals from Francois Brisson and Daniel Xuereb.
New Zealand Olympic Games Men’s Football form:
France Olympic Games Men’s Football form:
Team News
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Off the back of an injury-free game against the United States, New Zealand will head into Tuesday’s clash with a clean bill of health and no suspension concerns, giving Bazeley the luxury of a full house to choose from.
Off the back of his eye-catching cameo on Saturday, Randall could be rewarded with a place in the XI, forming the front three with Lachlan Bayliss and Plymouth Argyle man Waine.
Olise has been on song for France at the Olympics and the new Bayern Munich man, who has three goal involvements in the first two games, will be one to watch.
He should form the attacking trio with former Crystal Palace teammate Jean-Philippe Mateta and Olympique Lyon man Lacazette while Joris Chotard, Enzo Millot and Manu Kono should team in midfield.
At the defensive end of the pitch, Loic Balde and Leipzig man Castello Lukeba have started the opening two matches and should form the centre-back pairing once again, with Sildillia and Adrien Truffert lining up out wide.
New Zealand possible starting lineup:
Paulsen; Bindon, Surman, Boxall, Sutton; Bell, Garbett, Singh; Randall, Bayliss, Waine
France possible starting lineup:
Restes; Sildillia, Bade, Lukeba, Truffert; Millot, Kone, Chotard; Olise, Mateta, Lacazette
We say: New Zealand 0-3 France
New Zealand will need to be at their best on Monday as they go up against host nation France who have flown out of the blacks. Given the gulf in quality and depth between the two sides, we predict Henry’s side will come away with all three points unscathed.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.