Bosnia Vs France Betting Tip: France To Nil – 31 March 2021

Blunt hosts unlikely to trouble world champs

Eric Garcia / Spain ©IMAGO / Agencia EFE March 24, 2021

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia Vs France France

Wednesday, 31st March 2021 – 19:45
World Cup Qualifier
Pick: France Win To Nil
Odds: 11/10
Bookmaker: Bet365
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 28th March 2021)

Preview: World Cup holders France slipped up first time out in qualifying but quickly made amends at the very next opportunity. Les Blues are now seeking an eighth consecutive away victory, and are firm favourites to secure it in Sarajevo against this out-of-sorts Bosnia.

World Cup Qualifying Betting at Bet365

 

Bosnia – Hosts lacking necessary bite?

Head coach Ivaylo Petev embarked on wholesale changes for Saturday’s friendly encounter with CONCAFAF’s third-highest ranked nation, Costa Rica. It is probably best we avoid reading too much into that particular outcome therefore, a goalless draw played out in Zenica, Bosnia. However, what that ‘inconsequential’ result does do is stretch the barren spell of the senior side into double figures.

Since a 3-0 scoreline away to Liechtenstein in a Euro 2020 qualifier in November 2019, Bosnia have failed to win in ten attempts (D5 L5). This include all six matches with Italy, Poland and the Netherlands during last season’s Nations League, a 2-0 friendly loss to Iran, and last Wednesday’s 2-2 draw in Finland in their opening game of this qualifying campaign. Salvaging a point in Helsinki six minutes from time.

The only genuine positive to be had, then, is that the players selected on Wednesday should be fresh. As their current form is grim. Particularly as the hosts. The Dragons are without a win in a home international for seventeen months, have lost four of the last seven such games, and are without a goal scored at home in 416 minutes – the equivalent of more than seven hours.

 

France Win & Under 2.5 Goals
21/10

Betway

 

France – Worth siding with efficient Les Bleus?

The World Cup holders are up and running in defence of the title won in Russia in 2018, although it took them until their second qualifying game to chalk up a first win. Last Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with Ukraine at the Stade de France was not well received by the national media – a 7-1 thrashing from Les Blues in the side’s previous meeting perhaps skewing expectations. However, a response was forthcoming.

Despite Kylian Mbappe adding to his country’s woes from the penalty spot, with four of their last seven efforts from the spot not resulting in a goal, France still eased to victory in Astana on Sunday. Just a third international goal for Ousmane Dembele on his 23rd senior appearance, coupled with an own goal shortly before half-time, ensuring three comfortable points in a 2-0 scoreline away to Kazakhstan.

The final score should have been greater last time, however, those goals do now mean that of France’s current seven-match winning away run, only the 2-1 success in Croatia produced three goals or more. Six of those victories came ‘to nil’, while four were settled by a single-goal margin. Anyone therefore expecting France to suddenly turn on the afterburners in Sarajevo could be disappointed.

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Bosnia Vs France Betting Advice

On the face of it, this looks a bread and butter fixture for the World champs. France bounced back from the disappointment of drawing 1-1 to Ukraine in Paris in their opening match of the group by easing to victory away in Kazakhstan on Sunday. That a seventh straight win on the road, six of which came without conceding a goal, and achieved while resting one or two key men.

 

Bosnia Vs France – Key Facts:

  • A fifth ever meeting between these countries sees Bosnia seeking a first ever win, having lost on both occasions they hosted this fixture (1-2 in 2006 & 0-2 in 2010).
  • Whereas Bosnia are currently winless in their past ten fixtures (D5 L5), France boast three wins from the last four (D1) having won the last seven in a row away from home.
  • Croatia, the team France beat so convincingly in the 2018 World Cup final, are the only team to score past France in Les Bleus’ past seven away outings.

 

Other than the main bulk of the expected starting XI being handed the weekend off, there are scant positives to be had for Bosnia. The hosts are now winless in ten, having drawn their opening qualifier 2-2 in Finland last Wednesday. They’ve not won at home since October 2019, failing to score across their past four home encounters with Costa Rica, the Netherlands, Iran and Italy – far less taxing assignments than this.

Best Betting Odds – Bosnia Vs France

Bosnia – 17/2 (BetVictor)
Draw – 7/2 (Bet365)
France – 2/5 (Betfair)