France vs. Russia: Preview and Predictions for Women's Euro 2013 Showdown

If the qualifying stage of the Women’s Euro 2013 tournament is any indication, fans shouldn’t expect to see much scoring when France and Russia face off in the final stage on Friday.

Both squads have plenty of firepower at the attacking end, but each also boasts a stifling defense that stymied opponents in the previous round.

France won all eight of its qualifying stage matches, but more impressively, it held those eight opponents to just two total goals. With 32 goals to its name in those contests, France should be considered not only the favorite in this match, but also a serious contender for the Women’s Euro 2013 championship.

Russia was also impressive in the last stage with seven wins in 10 matches, but it was slowed in Group 1 by an Italian team that didn’t allow a goal throughout the stage and secured the automatic bid with 28 points in 10 matches.

The Russians have the talent and experience to make a splash in the final stage, but doing so in Group C will be a daunting task.

As quoted by Chris Burke via UEFA.com, Russian coach Sergei Lavrentyev understands his squad will be the underdog in this contest, but he’s hopeful it can make the necessary adjustments to come out with a victory:

"

France are one of the strongest teams in Europe, but they also have some weak points and we will try to exploit those tomorrow. We have to stick to our plan and be disciplined in achieving our goals. We have belief in ourselves and our capabilities.

"

But France coach Bruno Bini is confident in his squad as well and knows it is in position to make major waves in the final stage, as quoted by Burke:

"

I don't like to talk about the opposition because whatever you say, it can be interpreted in a way that gives them motivation. We've done our job as usual. We looked at their last five or six matches; our observers watched their last friendly in Norway.

Any coach who comes here and says he's not here to win is a liar. We're all here to win, including me. We're not liars. We'll do what we can to go all the way. We know the road ahead and we've given ourselves the resources to get there.

"

It’s obvious both teams are poised, confident and prepared. Given each squad’s qualifying round success, this match should be, at the very least, an extremely competitive affair.

What: Group C Final Round, Opening Match

Where: Norrköpings Idrottsparken; Norrkoping, Sweden

When: Friday, July 12, at 12 p.m. ET (6 p.m. local time)

Prediction: France 2, Russia 0

France features an experienced squad with plenty of firepower to match its defensive prowess. With a trio of forwards in Eugenie Le Sommer, Marie-Laure Delie and Elodie Thomis that combined for 16 goals in the qualifying stage and a midfield that accounted for 11 more, the French side is fully capable of finding the net against its Russian counterpart.

But defenders Sandrine Soubeyrand and Corine Franco have been masterful as well, aiding in their team’s effort to hold opponents to just two goals in the qualifying stage. Along with keeper Celine Deville, Russia is going to have some difficulty getting an advantage on the attack.

The Russian side must find a way to keep its attack spread out wide to thin out France’s defense, while also being conservative enough to not allow France to make waves on the counterattack. It will be a balancing act, but Russia has the talented midfielders to make it happen.

Led by Olga Petrova, Elena Morozova, Elena Terekhova and Olesya Mashina, the unit outscored Russia’s forwards by a 14-13 margin in the qualifying stage. That’s not to suggest the Russian side doesn’t have talent at the forward positions, but its midfield is arguably the team’s greatest strength.

Look for Russia to hold firm and keep the match scoreless through the first half, relying on its midfield to control the tempo. That strategy will work in the early going, but France is fully capable of fending off the attack until the final third opens up from the wings in the second half of the contest.