The scene of the crime has been revisited.
The last time Ireland stepped foot on French soil for a competitive match was in the second leg of a playoff to get into the 2010 World Cup. Thierry Henry, then a superstar for Les Bleus, clearly used his hand on a ball which setup the goal that put France in the World Cup and crushed Irish dreams.
Now, Ireland has its chance for revenge, and what better way to do that than to upset the French on their home soil in the tournament they're hosting.
Soccer Odds at BookMaker.eu
France -225
Ireland +925
Draw +300
Over/Under 2 (under -115)
ODDS ANALYSIS
The French were never truly convincing in the group stage of this competition, though they do have seven points to show for their work. They were never really forward-thinking save for a few great moments by Dimitri Payet, and that really bothered the fans throughout the country and even took Les Bleus off of the favored line of the tournament for a brief while.
However, this is still a match which clearly should be won. Ireland wasn't good at all in the opening round either, and though it did get into this stage, it can really thank a favorable setup to the schedule for that. France is now set at -225 on the moneyline and is favored by a full ball on the Asian Handicap, and it would be a shock to see the Irish put one in the back of the net with a total of 2 with -115 vig on the under.
TOURNAMENT UPDATE
Where on earth would France be without Payet right now? Clearly, it wouldn't have beaten Romania without his efforts, and though he didn't score the winner against Albania, he did score the goal that put the match beyond all doubt, and he was always the most dangerous man on the field.
The end result for France was wins against Romania and Albania along with the draw against Switzerland on the final match day which ultimately had little consequence.
Ireland went into the last day of competition in Group E with little hope of qualifying for the knockout rounds. The team needed three points against Italy after drawing Sweden and getting crushed by Belgium, and nothing else would do. The Irish got their goal against the Azzurri, but it came in a match which easily could've gone the other way had the Italians been playing with anything near a full roster.
LIVE BETTING
And alas, here's the question for Ireland. Can it really compete at the highest level? The win over Italy meant little to us; the Italians were never interested in playing that match out after having already clinched the Group E title before stepping on the pitch.
Wes Hoolahan has been overmatched for the most part, and though Robbie Brady scored the goal in the 85th minute which will be remembered as one of the biggest in the history of this team, he and Shane Long haven't looked all that dangerous either.
The French aren't always sturdy at the back, but they've done the job thus far in this tournament, conceding just one goal on a penalty to Romania. Theoretically, Ireland shouldn't be able to put one home in this Euro Cup match.
QUICK PICK
But if the Irish do… look out.
France hasn't been nearly convincing to us in this tournament, and we wouldn't be shocked if this one required some extra time to settle itself out. Home field advantage will ultimately get the job done for Les Bleus, as Didier Deschamps will avoid the embarrassment of having his team knocked out even before the quarterfinals against a completely inferior team. However, it isn't going to be a work of art for sure.
Euro 2016 Odds: France 2, Ireland 1 (AET)
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 Ireland will take place on Sunday, June 26, 2016, at 9:00 a.m. at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais in Lyon. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN.
