The hosts France will continue their quest for a third European Championship title on home soil. France have won both the previous editions of the tournament they hosted, in 1984 and 2000. The home side have crossed the first hurdle of the group stage with ease, securing 7 points of the 9 available, finishing at the top spot in their group.
Standing between France and a spot in the quarter-finals are the Republic of Ireland. The Irish have been gunning for revenge ever since the acrimonious World Cup qualifying playoff between the 2 sides in 2009. A Thierry Henry handball led to a goal which eliminated the Irish and ingrained in them, a sense of deep injustice.
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The Irish will be looking to fire on all cylinders to avenge the wrongs of that fateful night, and cause a huge upset by eliminating France from Euro 2016. Let’s take a look at 5 players who shall significantly affect the result of this encounter:
#1 Paul Pogba:
Probably the most talked about operator in the centre of the park nowadays, the French midfield dynamo has a commanding presence that belies his age. Although Pogba has not managed to hit top gear in Euro 2016 yet, the Irish will be hoping he does not do so against them either.
At his best, Pogba is one of the best players in the world currently. He brings raw athleticism and an acute tactical understanding far advanced for a 23-year-old. The pressure of carrying his nation in an international tournament might have proven to be too much for Pogba initially.
Ineffective displays in the opening fixtures were replaced by a more polished performance against the Swiss in the final group fixture, which finished 0-0. As with any young player, Pogba’s performances vary directly with his confidence.
France fans will be hoping the confidence he gained from the match against Switzerland will boost his self-belief and allow him to reach the heights he has with Juventus in Serie A over the past 2 seasons.
#2 Dimitri Payet:
At the start of Euro 2016, not many would have earmarked Dimitri Payet as the player France would rely heavily on for providing inspiration in the attacking third. France have an abundance of riches in attack in the form of Griezmann, Martial, Giroud, and Coman, however, Payet, like always, has proven his detractors wrong.
Often hailed as a mercurial talent, Payet’s reputation for inconsistency has become his bane over the years. Probably the biggest decision in Payet’s career was a switch to the Premier league at the beginning of the 2015-16 season, to modest West Ham, from French outfit Marseille.
The 29-year-old has been grabbing accolades and eyeballs with his deft passing and eye for a goal. A gifted playmaker, Payet is ideally suited for the number 10 role thanks to his vision and a potent shot on both feet. He has dazzled in Euro 2016 and has been the main catalyst behind France’s progression to the round-of-16.
A stunning goal in the dying embers of their first match against Romania earned France all 3 points. It was Payet again, who sealed the points against Albania on a night when others seemed devoid of ideas. If France are to progress to the quarter-finals, Payet will have to continue his rich vein of form.
#3 Hugo Lloris:
Hugo Lloris has become a veteran of sorts for France in recent years. Despite being 29-year-old only, Lloris has secured 74 caps for the senior side since his debut in 2008. The Tottenham shot-stopper has recently been appointed as captain of the national side.
While under ideal circumstances, Lloris would not expect to have much to do over 90 minutes, injuries to a number of first choice centre backs have ensured the situation is anything but ideal. Injuries to Varane and Laporte mean Adil Rami and Laurent Koscielny have been starting as centre backs.
Age is clearly catching up with Patrice Evra, and he is no longer the fleet-footed left back of yore, and Bacary Sagna is not world class by any stretch of the imagination. All of these factors have combined to give the French defence a rickety outlook, nervous and prone to an error.
In such circumstances, Lloris’ work is cut out. As the last line of defence, the French captain will expect to be busy as the tournament nears the business end. Blessed with lightning reflexes, Lloris is adept at reacting to shots and one on one situations. He is also capable in the air, and has a good distribution range.
While he has not been taxed much in the opening stages, Ireland will pose a threat from set pieces and the French will be hopeful of their captain putting up an inspiring and reassuring performance in goal.
#4 Robbie Brady:
If Robbie Brady does nothing else for the rest of his life, he shall still be a part of Irish folklore for the foreseeable future. Brady will be remembered as the scorer of the crucial goal against Italy that sent the Republic of Ireland through to the round of 16.
Brady has been experimented with in terms of his position, having been deployed at left-back and on the left side of midfield. An able crosser of the ball, the Irishman possesses a powerful left foot that poses a significant threat to the opposition, from outside the box.
Ireland are a big, physical unit and the likes of Jon Walters and Shane Long thrive on decent aerial deliveries into the box. The Norwich city winger has for long been recognised as a prodigious talent and was destined for great things during his time at Manchester United’s academy.
However, a lack of dedication and effort saw the promising winger fade away from the limelight. Now looking to resurrect his career with Norwich, Brady made his international debut in 2012 and has gone on to make 24 appearances and scored 4 goals.
All of Ireland, especially Walters and Long will look at Brady and hope the radar on his left foot will be fully functional come Sunday.
#5 Shane Long:
It is no secret that any team harbouring intentions of making a mark in international football need a decent forward to rely upon for goals. For the Irish, Shane Long is that man. The 29-year-old is no stranger to the international stage, having been a part of the national team since 2007.
Since his debut, Long has made 63 appearances for Ireland and scored 16 goals. Long, however, brings much more than just goals, to a team. A workhorse, his relentless pressing of opposition defenders deep in their own half ensures the chances of the opposition to play out from defence is extremely limited.
Although not one of the taller players around, Long possesses an excellent leap which makes him very dangerous in the air. In times of need, when the Irish are chasing a game, route 1 is most often a long punt up to Long, who holds up the ball well for arriving support.
On Sunday, Long will be hoping to have a go at a makeshift France defence that has not inspired much confidence, and if provided with decent service into the box, might very well be the catalyst for an upset.
