World Cup 2018: France Team vs Peru, Starting XI

Modified Jun 21, 2018 14:49 GMT

TOPSHOT-FBL-WC-2018-MATCH5-FRA-AUS — ***********

France will come up against a Peru side which impressed on their debut in the competition against Denmark. Peru were more than deserving of the win on the night, as they kept bombarding the opposition goal right through the match.

Denmark nicked a goal on the counter and then sat back to invite future South American flair. Peru provided that in plenty and came close on numerous occasion. Denmark hung on for all three points denying the newcomers the perfect opening bow in the competition.

France, meanwhile, have been sluggish in their build-up to the competition with the USA holding them to a 1-1 draw at home in their final warm-up game before boarding the plane to Russia.

Some off that sluggishness spilt over onto their opening fixture of the World Cup against Australia, who were looking good for a point against one of the favourites to win the competition, but with just ten minutes left on the clock France knit together a neat move and Pobga tried to poke the ball toward the goal. In an attempt to clear the ball, Aziz Behich only managed to lob the ball into his own goal.

The French were very fortunate to end up with all three points but with an equally impressive Peruvian side to contend with next, they will need to pull their socks up.

How will France line up against Peru?

Team France training for 2018 FIFA World Cup Group Stage match against Peru — Ousmane Dembele is set to miss out against Peru

From the whispers coming out of the French camp, following their fortunate win in the opener, we could gather than Deschamps was likely to make a couple of changes which might alter the way his team approaches the game. The star of the game, Pogba, will retain his starting spot in midfield but Tolisso is set to miss out with Blaise Mtuidi coming into the space vacated by him.

Against Australia, Deschamps decided to go with the three youngsters with blistering pace upfront: Dembele, Mbappe and Griezmann. They found it difficult to get going right through the match and as a result, it will be the substitute Olivier Giroud, who linked up magnificently with Pogba for the goal, that will start the fixture against Peru. He also provides the French side with an alternative of whipping balls into the box, something he thrives on.