Sports Mole previews Monday’s European Under-17s Championship clash between Portugal Under-17s and France Under-17s, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Portugal Under-17s and France Under-17s will both be looking to secure a place in the European Under-17 Championship knockout rounds when they go head-to-head in Monday’s clash in Larnaca.
Having won both of their group matches, Portugal are sitting at the top of the group with a three-point buffer to France in third place.
Match preview
After experiencing a group-stage exit last year, Portugal are on the brink of returning to the European Under-17 Championship knockout rounds, having taken maximum points from their first two matches against Spain and England.
On matchday one, Portugal fought back from a goal down to claim a 2-1 victory thanks to goals from Rodrigo Mora and Cardoso Varela.
Mora produced another goalscoring display in Friday’s clash with England, netting a brace before Gabriel Silva and Afonso Patrao found the net to seal a dominant 4-1 win.
After claiming a sixth consecutive win in all competitions, Portugal will enter the final group with a three-point gap to England and France, who occupy second and third place respectively.
A point will see them progress as the group winners, but a defeat and an England win would see three finish level on six points, which would bring head-to-head records into play.
France will be targeting another deep run in the competition after winning the trophy in 2022 and finishing as the runners-up in 2023.
Their 2024 campaign got off to a disastrous start as they slumped to a heavy 4-0 defeat in their tournament opener against England.
They looked set to experience more frustration until substitute Enzo Molebe netted an 86th-minute winner in Friday’s clash with Spain.
As a result of the 1-0 win, France will enter the final matchday knowing that a win would secure them a place in the quarter-finals.
However, a failure to claim all three points will leave France at risk of suffering their first group-stage elimination since 2016.
Portugal Under-17s European Under-17s Championship form:
France Under-17s European Under-17s Championship form:
Team News
Portugal midfielder David Daiber could make a second consecutive start, with Santos likely to name an unchanged lineup for Monday’s contest.
Mota will continue to provide a goal threat from midfield, having scored three times in Portugal’s opening two matches.
Buoyed from his goal on matchday two, Gabriel Silva will continue to operate in a front three alongside Geovany Quenda and Varela.
France goalkeeper Jules Stawiecki is set to retain his place after keeping a clean sheet in his first appearance in the tournament.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Joane Gadou is poised to line up in central defence with Mustapha Sissoko, while Marius Louer and Iliese Salhi could operate as the two full-backs.
Molebe dropped down to the bench on matchday two, but the forward is in line for a recall after marking Friday’s substitute appearance with the winning goal.
Portugal Under-17s possible starting lineup:
Ferreira; Soares, R Silva, Mota, Cunha; Mora, Daiber, Simeos; Quenda, Varela, G Silva
France Under-17s possible starting lineup:
Stwiecki; Louer, Gadou, Sissoko, Salhi; Bakola, Cabral, Sellami; Sternal, Messi, Molebe
We say: Portugal Under-17s 2-1 France Under-17s
Portugal have already demonstrated their credentials as potential tournament winners, having seen off Spain and England in their first two matches.
While France will provide a tough test, we expect a confident Portugal side to do enough to collect all three points.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.