Sophie Lawson uses her expert knowledge to help predict the Women’s Euros correct scores for round one of the group stage, looking at the key battles in the process.
Correct Score: Belgium 0-1 Iceland (Sky Bet odds: 8/1)
Coming into the Euros, Belgium’s results have been, in a word, mixed. They're team far better when they set up to attack, which leaves them looking all the more hopeless against teams they try to sit and defend against.
Against Iceland, Belgium should like their chances enough to set up in a more offensive shape and funnel the ball through to Tessa Wullaert and Tine de Caigny more often.
But against a resolute Iceland side who have found the balance between a young attack and an experienced defence, it could be a long evening for the Red Flames.
For Belgium, the battle to watch could very well be de Caigny vs Glódís Perla Viggósdóttir, and the Hoffenheim attacker already knows how hard it can be to outfox the Bayern Munich defender. For Iceland, there only looks to be one winner in the head-to-head between Davina Philtjens and Sveindís Jane Jónsdóttir.
Although I think this is a match that is likely to have more than just the one goal in it, I can’t keep predicating 3-0's and attacking football. That being said, look out for another up-and-coming Icelandic attacker, Karólína Lea Vilhjálmsdóttir, who should be getting involved in the meatier side of things for the Nordic nation.
There are three possible outcomes for any match/team: win, draw or loss, and I can guarantee that France v Italy will end in one of those outcomes. Which result is for who is a far harder prospect to nail down even if everyone is saying France are favourites and Marie-Antoinette Katoto will fill her boots.
Your best bets will likely be around Katoto to score and both teams scoring – and there are things far less probable than Cristiana Girelli finding the back of the net for Italy.
This match is another that will probably devolve into defence v attack, with Italy holding their shape before springing a counter a little more than they usually do. Having just held Spain to a 1-1 draw (after scoring first), expect some intelligent game management and possibly some tried-and-tested gamesmanship from La Azzurre.
For France, who have just prepared for the summer by trouncing low-ranked opposition (Vietnam and Cameroon), the confidence will be as high as it can be across the attack.
You’ll probably be hearing this from me all tournament but, even when things aren’t clicking for France in attack, they can always rely on Wendie Renard to score at a set piece, the 6’2 defender a fox-in-the-box in every sense.
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