All eyes will be on Group F on Saturday as two Women’s World Cup heavyweights – France and Brazil – do battle at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
The Brazilians thrashed Panama 4-0 in their opening match, while the French were held to a goalless draw by Jamaica.
As a result, Brazil lead France by two points in Group F, meaning a victory for the South Americans would see them book their place in the last 16 this weekend.
Despite racking up 73% possession and 14 shots while facing just two attempts on target, France were frustrated by Jamaica in their World Cup opener.
The Jamaicans also had Khadija Shaw sent off late on, but the French were unable to make the most of their dominance and prevent a goalless stalemate.
Still, France have only lost one of their previous nine matches across all competitions, picking up six wins and two draws along the way.
Having defeated Colombia (5-2), Canada (2-1) and Ireland (3-0) in the lead-up to the tournament, France shouldn’t struggle to reach the knockout phase.
Meanwhile, Brazil claimed a comprehensive 4-0 victory over Panama last time out, with Ary Borges netting a hat-trick in the rout.
Not only did the Brazilians enjoy 73% possession against Panama, but they also racked up a whopping 32 shots – 10 of which were on target.
Thanks to victories over Germany (2-1) and Chile (4-0) earlier this year, Brazil head into Saturday’s showdown on a three-game winning streak.
When you look at the bigger picture, Brazil have won 15 of their previous 19 outings across all competitions, underlining their strength.
Head-to-head: France and Brazil have faced each other 11 times over the years, with the French avoiding defeat on every occasion.
Across the past seven meetings, France have claimed five victories, including an extra-time win in the last 16 of the 2019 World Cup.
Team news: Experienced centre-back Wendy Renard will marshal France’s defence, while 180-cap Eugenie Le Sommer will go in search of her 90th international goal this weekend.
As for Brazil, Marta has netted 115 goals in 177 appearances for her country, while Debinha has bagged 58 goals in 135 international matches.
Regardless of Brazil’s thrashing of Panama last time out, France will be confident of maintaining their unbeaten record in this fixture.
With that in mind, Forebet predicts that France will claim all three points on Saturday, notching a low-scoring victory while keeping a clean sheet.