France welcome Finland on Tuesday knowing that anything other than three points would end their slim hopes of securing automatic qualification for next summer's World Cup.

The home side currently sit second in Group I on 14 points, but leaders Spain need just a point from their home match against Georgia to top the section, leaving France with a spot in the playoffs.

France enter the match on the back of successive wins over Belarus and Australia, but they recently went five games without scoring a single goal.

Finland will provide tough opposition having held Spain to a 1-1 draw last month and currently sit third in the table having won two, drawn three and lost two of their seven matches.

The corresponding fixture in the group took place in Finland last September, when France were 1-0 winners courtesy of a strike from Abou Diaby.

Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud is expected to continue in attack for France at the expense of Karim Benzema, while Franck Ribery will also start in a wide position.

Liverpool centre-back Mamadou Sakho is also expected to come into the heart of the defence alongside Raphael Varane, but Mathieu Valbuena and Blaise Matuidi will start on the bench.

Finland, meanwhile, have no fresh injury concerns from their training sessions over the weekend and will name their strongest available lineup. Celtic's Teemu Pukki will lead their line, while experienced midfielder Teemu Tainio could also start.

Recent form

France: LDDWW

Finland: WDWLW

Possible starting lineups

France: Lloris; Debuchy, Varane, Sakho, Evra; Pogba, Cabaye, Nasri; Ribery, Giroud, Remy

Finland: Maenpaa; Halsti, Arkivuo, Lampi, Ring; Hamalainen, Hetemaj, Eremenko, Tainio; Pukki, Zeneli

Sports Mole says: 2-0

Written by
Matt Law

Previews by email