For all of the talk of just how brutal the bottom half of the bracket was in Euro 2016, France has ultimately ended up with one of the easiest roads imaginable to reach the semifinals. They still haven't had to play any of what are legitimately the best 20 teams in the world or so, and that won't change on Sunday against Iceland.
Soccer Odds at BookMaker.eu
France -312
Iceland +600
Draw +400
Over/Under 2.5 (under -140)
ODDS ANALYSIS
Iceland, of course, has made it known that it won't just be pushed over in this tournament as many suspected. The club was 90 to 1 at the outset of the Euros, and it finished second in Group F to get to this point. After upsetting England, the Icelanders are going to be taken more seriously here in the last eight.
That said, France has to be the overwhelming favorite in this duel, especially playing in its national stadium. The team is -312 on the moneyline and is laying a full goal and a half on the Asian Handicap.
As a result, the total has to be a bit higher at 2.5, though the vig on the under at -140 suggests that a 2-0 France win is the most likely result.
TOURNAMENT UPDATE
Iceland couldn't contain its joy after beating England 2-1 on Monday night Nice. It was the biggest win in the history of this soccer program, and it came after falling behind 1-0 in just the fourth minute. Amazingly, the Icelandic team has now not been beaten in four matches in this tournament in spite of the fact that it's been a dog (and a relatively big one at that) three of the four times. The upset of England at a price of 8 to 1 though, was about as big as it gets in the Euros.
France struggled far longer than it should have against Ireland. Thank goodness for Antonie Griezmann, as he was easily the best player in the lineup for Les Bleus and always looked the most threatening. The French were behind 1-0 for the better part of an hour before Griezmann struck twice in three minutes to flip the script on the Irish. That came on the heels of snaring seven points in three matches in Group A.
Though the record books on France will show a solid 3-1-0 record inside of 90 minutes, there are still a lot of questions about this team for sure.
LIVE BETTING
For our money, the French have still looked pretty darn suspect in defense in this tournament. They conceded against Ireland after just two minutes, and that was yet another big issue for Patrice Evra, Laurent Koscielny and Bacary Sagna at the back. Didier Deschamps just has nowhere to turn to at this point to try to find any inspiration in defense, and he's really going to have to rely on Tottenham keeper Hugo Lloris to keep the back of his net clean.
Iceland, of course, is going to try to play this match out without having to go forward. It wasn't nearly as good offensively as 2-1 suggests against England, as this team tries its best to park the bus at the back and hope for good counters. That should take some pressure off of that French back line, but it doesn't mean that defending said counters, especially knowing that six different men have scored for this Iceland team in the Euros.
QUICK PICK
It's been fun, Iceland. The Icelanders won their Super Bowl against England on Monday, and now they can go ride off into the sunset with the Euros having been a tremendous success no matter what happens.
France is desperately in need of a relatively easy match, and this is the one we think it's going to see through. The striking tandem of Griezmann and Dimitri Payet is the one which Les Bleus should be going with the rest of the way, and so long as Deschamps doesn't get cute, we think that duo will finish its job and put three home without response to lockdown the last spot in the semis in Euro 2016.
Euro 2016 Odds: France 3, Iceland 0
Load your betting bankroll from your smartphone or tablet with BookMaker’s new cashier feature! Depositing and withdrawing funds from your account has never been easier. BookMaker's live betting platform means you always have access to odds and lines to every sporting event. Click here and start wagering today! The fixture between France and Iceland will take place on Sunday, July 3, 2016, at 3:00 p.m. at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN.
