France vs Albania 08/09/19

8 September 2019

France will look to preserve the top spot of Group H when they take on Albania at Stade de France this weekend in their UEFA European Championship qualification (ECQ ) clash.

Big favorites to prevail here, the hosts have won three of four ECQ matches so far (W3, L1, all of which have seen them score precisely four goals per match and concede one in total. France’s only defeat in their qualifying campaign has come away from home (2-0 to Turkey), and it was their only loss since the turn of the year. Les Blues have suffered just two defeats in their last 19 games in all competitions (W14, D3, L2), both of which have come away from home. Also, the reigning World Cup champions have won all three of their competitive home outings since returning from Russia, with two of those triumphs ending with the same 2-1 scoreline in their favor. What’s more, they have come off better in all five of their previous competitive H2Hs, beating Albania to nil in all three competitive meetings at home.

Meanwhile, the visitors have endured mixed fortunes in their four qualifiers so far (W2, L2). Interestingly, while both of their losses in that sequence saw them fail to find the back of the net, both of their wins have ended with the same 2-0 scoreline. But, far more comfortable at home, the Red and Blacks have lost five of their last eight competitive trips (W2, D1, L5), struggling to get to the scoresheet in each of those failures. In fact, none of Albania’s last ten games – friendlies included, has seen both teams score, with just two of those matches featuring over 2.5 goals.