2016 UEFA Euro in France June 10 - July 10,2016 - Group A France Vs Albania Wednesday June 15,2016

 

Group A  France Vs Albania Match Preview

Almost a year ago to the day, Albania beat France for the first time in their history. The performance by Didier Deschamps' side in a 1-0 defeat was described as 'lacklustre', 'listless', 'worrying' and 'far from convincing' by the press, who were starting to doubt Les Bleus' credentials to win a Euros on home soil, given that it was their third defeat in four friendlies.

However, fast forward twelve months from that loss and France extended their run to one defeat in the subsequent 11 matches with a last-gasp Euro 2016 opening victory over Romania courtesy of Dmitri Payet's magnificent goal.


Match Facts

Head-to-head

• France have won four of the six matches they have played against Albania but have failed to win either of the last two meetings.
• Ergys Kace's free-kick effort helped Albania to a 1-0 victory over France when they last met in June 2015.
• Albania have never scored more than once in a game against France (three goals scored in six matches).

France

• Their overall record in 13 games in Marseille is W6 D3 L4.
• Les Bleus have played at this venue twice before in the European Championships. They lost 2-0 to Czechoslovakia in 1960, but beat Portugal 3-2 in the 1984 semi-finals.
• France have won their last six games on home soil in the European Championship finals (five in 1984, one in 2016).
• France have only kept two clean sheets in their last 17 games at European Championship finals (against Romania in 2008 and Ukraine in 2012).
• Olivier Giroud has scored eight goals in his last six starts for France.
• France's five shots on target (including their two goals) in the opening game against Romania all came in the second-half.
• Dimitri Payet created eight chances against the Romanians - only three players had created more in a Euros game since 1980 (Ozil, 9 v Greece in 2012, McAllister, 10 v Germany in 1992 and Sneijder, 10 v Denmark in 2012).

Albania

• Albania have lost their last two internationals - they've not lost three in a row since October 2013.
• They are one of two countries making their major tournament debut at Euro 2016 along with Iceland.
• Albania are the fourth team to be shown a red card in their debut at a Euros (England 1968, Netherlands 1976 and Bulgaria 1996).
• Etrit Berisha made six saves against Switzerland, more than he did in any of the Euro 2016 qualifiers

Group A France beat Albania 2-0 and enter the QF's

Late goals from Antoine Griezmann(90th minute) and Dimitri Payet(90+6 th minute) saw hosts France edge past Albania to become the first side to reach the Euro 2016 knockout stage.

France scored with the game's only two shots on target, struggling to break down a stubborn Albania side as Giroud missed three free headers at Marseille's Stade Velodrome.

France needed a late goal from Payet to beat Romania in Friday's opening game, and another dramatic win means they are assured of a last-16 place before their final Group A match against Switzerland.

Defeat was harsh on the European Championship debutants, who looked to have done enough to earn their first point.

Albania, who lost their opening game against the Swiss, must beat Romania on Sunday to stand any chance of qualifying.

Match Statistics

• Kingsley Coman (20 years and two days) is the youngest starter for France in a major finals, beating Bruno Bellone's record from World Cup 1982 (20 years and 118 days).
• This was the first European Championship finals game without a first-half shot on target since France v Romania at Euro 2008.
• This game eclipsed Romania v Portugal in 2000 (71 minutes) to become the Euro finals fixture since 1980 with the longest wait for a shot on target (Griezmann's goal on 90 mins).
• Griezmann's goal was the first by a French substitute at the European Championship since the 2000 final v Italy (Sylvain Wiltord and David Trezeguet).
• Three of France's four goals in the competition so far have come in the 89th minute or later.
• Payet has already had a hand in three goals in the competition (two goals, one assist), the most for a French player in a Euro finals since Zinedine Zidane in 2004 (also three).
• Albania have conceded both the earliest (Switzerland's Schar after five minutes) and the latest goal (France's Payet on 96 minutes) at Euro 2016 so far.

France Squad